Misconceptions
by CrimsonLinkx
Summary: Rie, the new girl treated like an outcast by her old classmates wanted something new. Will a certain incident give her that or worse? "BUCHOU, NIOU KILLED SOMEBODY!" Kirihara yelled running down the hallways in a very not cool-like manner. KiriharaxOC
1. prologue

Hey, this is my very first Prince of Tennis fic and I hope you guys like it.

I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS. I ONLY ON MY OC!

-On with the story-

A short introduction

Rie was someone who only a few could ever understand. She never really fitted in with all of the other kids in her old school and would rather be found by the school garden petting the animals or looking at the flowers and because of this difference with the other students, she was seen as a 'social outcast' by them.

They couldn't understand her and so did Rie…at least they thought so. They never noticed how she observed every single movement they made, how they played with each other by the court, how they complained how school was so boring and how the girls talked about who were their crushes which really confused her since the boys in her school were just a bunch of goofballs who are trying to find ways to get in trouble or get noticed.

Every single motion they make, she observes just to understand them, so she could finally talk to them and form a sort of bond with them. Though, others would just see her as a stalker if they ever found out about her 'hobby'. So she shall always remain hidden but they'll just never understand how hard she tries to be with them and make precious moments with them even if they push her away… Rie will always stand up and try her best that is until… it happened.

"_LOOK OUT!"_

-With the Rikkadai tennis team-

"Oy, have you heard of the new student coming here to Rikkai Dai?" The net specialist, Marui Bunta asked popping another gum into his mouth.

"Yeah, I've heard of him." Kirihara Akaya, the second year ace replied. "What's the big deal about him anyway?"

"I'm not so sure," Marui scratched the back of his head. "but I hear that he looks weird and is a bit different."

"Sounds like the type of guy which will attract the unwanted attention of the trickster." Kirihara said and then after some thinking he let a smirk creep to his face. "I wonder what kind of tricks he'll play on the poor guy."

Marui looked at his junior for a brief second then started to back away from him in a fast manner.

'Getting closer to him might get a bit dangerous.' Marui thought sheepishly.

"Ne Jackal, what do you think?" The red head asked.

The dark skin toned tennis player looked at him and answered, "Let's just see what will happen."

"BOOM!"

"Oy, what was that?" Marui shouted taken aback by the sudden noise.

There seemed to be an explosion in the science lab since all of the students from that room were running out of the room as if their lives depended on it.

Some were even yelling.

"HELP! I CAN'T BREATHE!"

"IT'S TOO MUCH!"

"THE HORROR!"

As much as it sounds so pitiful the people yelling it had one similar thing with them, they were the boys while the girls were…

"OH NO! MY HAIR IS RUINED!"

"I NEED TO GO TO THE RESTROOM ASAP!"

"I THINK I'M GOING TO DIE!"

The three tennis players couldn't believe what they were seeing and were like WTF… (F is for Fudge, k?)

"Oy Bunta," Kirihara called to his sempai.

"Yes, Kirihara?"

"Is it me or am I just seeing a group of Rikkadai students running around like it's the end of the world covered in the color pink?"

"No, you don't have to worry because I'm seeing this too." Marui said dumbly. "How about you, Jackal, you see them too?"

Jackal nodded dumbly with his mouth left open.

What Kirihara said was true, Rikkaidai students in all of their glory were running around like idiots covered in the color pink from a class experiment gone wrong.

Just as the three were about to leave, they heard the door of the science lab open... with a large THUD and out came the science teacher also covered in the pink menace but his face had a different color on it. It was red, as in the color of a tomato.

"NIOU MASAHARU!" He yelled loud enough for the entire campus to hear.

"I was expecting this kind of thing…sort of" Marui muttered popping another bubble gum to his mouth.

"YOU THREE, GO TO YOUR CLASSES NOW!" The teacher yelled.

"HAI SENSEI!" They yelled in unison and then saluted to the covered-in-pink teacher.

The salute was not needed. They just did it for effect.

The three boys immediately started jogging in their places and began running to their respected classes.

'Thanks a lot Niou! Because of you the teacher yelled at us!' Kirihara thought running to his classroom. 'And my next subject is English! I hate it!'

-Meanwhile with a certain student-

"So this is Rikkaidai." A voice said at the third floor of the school.

The stranger wore a jacket bigger than his body so his figure was hidden by it.

"Interesting…" 'He' said to the event that happened a while ago. 'His' right eye which was visible showed a glint of interest of the event. Those poor suckers didn't know what hit them or exploded at them. "I'd love to stay and watch but-"

"I better get my schedule or else I'll be late." 'He' said in a bored tone and walked to the right but immediately stopped and looked around. "Where was the office again?"

'He' started walking around and paused when he thought of the reason why he was having troubles with finding the office. "Looks like I'm lost…again."

'He' sighed and dropped his bag down and rubbed his forehead. He remembered what his so-called guardian said about getting side-tracked and getting lost especially in a big school like this. 'This is getting troublesome.'

'He' temporarily stopped what he was doing and blushed a cute shade of pink. 'This is getting really troublesome.'

-With the four tennis regulars-

"Oy Niou, are you even listening to me?" Kirihara yelled to the trickster of Rikkaidai although the trickster practically ignored his question.

"What made you get the idea of having made a bomb that will explode pink dust to the science lab?" Jackal asked with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Yeah, because of you I had to spend another boring English class." Kirihara pouted completely forgetting the fact that Niou ignored his question.

Jackal whacked the second year by the head softly. "And you're not supposed to cut classes, Kirihara."

Kirihara smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his neck. "He he he, I've been caught."

Marui sighed and looked to the direction of Niou and noticed that he was planning something

He looked to where he was looking at and temporarily stoped.

"Huh?"

Somebody was sleeping by the window sill. That's weird, of all the places he could've picked, he just had to pick the window sill. Was he alright?

Marui's eyes widened and he turned his head towards the scheming silver haired boy and ran after him. 'Don't tell me.'

"Isn't the explosion enough already?" He asked pulling the uniform of the walking tennis regular.

"Oh come on now, Bunta. A little wake-up call wouldn't hurt him, wouldn't it? Niou said.

"No, it WILL hurt him! Besides the guy's sleeping!"

"Then I'm helping the guy myself by waking him up instead of the teacher catching him."

"A no is a no!"

Niou still walked towards the sleeping guy with Marui trying to pull him the other way.

Marui noticed Niou was already going to scare the shit out of the poor guy so he tried to also pull his hands.

"Oy, Let go of me Marui!" Niou yelled irritated by what the net specialist was doing.

He was spoiling his fun. Just wait and see until his done with this, Marui will be going home with candy wrappers on his hair glued by bubble gum.

He won't be eating a lot of gum after that.

"NO! Stop it, this is no time to be-eh?" Marui blinked.

What the hell happened?

Just a while ago he was stopping Niou from doing something really idiotic and now he thinks he might have helped him in doing his prank. "Eh?"

Niou's eye twitched. His plan might have gone overboard…really overboard as he stared at where his prey used to be at. 'What the hell?'

Imaginary broken lines started appearing and disappearing in the shape of the guy whom Niou was about to prank and that could only mean one thing.

Marui and Niou looked at each other in bewilderment. "EH!"

They quickly looked outside the window and looked down to see…the…guy…falling down…from the….SIXTH FLOOR!

How come the maintenance didn't even bother to close to the window!

This was totally not normal.

"AARGH!" Niou slapped his forehead and then started to strangle Marui. "This is your fault! You shouldn't have pulled my hands or else we could've avoided this from happening!"

"My fault? You started this! You just had to be a trickster, don't you?" Marui yelled back.

"It's in my NATURE!"

"In my nature my butt!"

Um…guys, there's a guy falling down from the sixth floor and you guys just argue on whose fault it is when you could have already thought of some semi-brilliant ways to at least save the poor falling guy from his ultimate death when it is clearly your fault. Nice…very nice...

"WHAT DID YOU JUST DO?" Kirihara and Jackal yelled gaining the two tennis regulars who were too engrossed on suffocating each other.

When they got there? Who knows? All they know was that they stared at the falling student with wide eyes.

"BUCHOU, NIOU KILLED SOMEBODY!" Kirihara yelled running down the hallways in a very not cool-like manner.

Niou immediately ran after the second year in the same not cool manner. "Oy Akaya, wait! He's not dead…He still may be on the verge of dying…" That's still the same….

"BUCHOU!"

"OY!"

"BUCHOU!"

"ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?"

"BUCHOU!"

"…"

Marui was left behind with Jackal with their mouth left hanging open so much that Marui's gum would have fell down and that was saying something.

Jackal noticed that Marui was frozen in place. He snapped his fingers in front of his face several times but to no avail Marui didn't bulge.

'There's only one way to snap him out of these kinds of things.'

"Oy Marui, the cafeteria had already sold out their last strawberry shortcake."

"What the- HOW DARE THEY SELL THE LAST SHORTCAKE TO SOMEBODY ELSE and…not…me- wait. What?" Marui shouted. "Oh yeah that's right." He said slamming his fist to his open right hand.

"WAIT FOR ME!" Marui shouted running after the two.

"…"

"…"

"…"

Just then Jackal realized something. "Don't leave me here all alone!"

-With somebody else-

Yukimura Seiichi, the captain of the Rikkaidai tennis team together with the other tennis regulars were just by the school yard near the school garden when they heard shouts from none other than their second year ace.

"BUCHOU!"

Yukimura smiled. "Akaya, what brings you here?"

"BUCHOU!"

"Something is odd here." Yagyuu said.

Yanagi nodded. "There's 97% chance that there is something really important Akaya has to say."

"BUCHOU!" Kirihara yelled for the twelfth time today and was only a few feet away from them when Niou suddenly jumped over him and pounced on him making him fall down and then started a wrestling match of their own with each other.

"Why you-" Kirihara said as he pulled Niou's hair only to get kicked by him.

"Aargh!"

"Take that!"

"…"

"BUCHOU!"

Sanada mentally groaned. 'I swear if I hear one of them shout another "Buchou", they're going to run one hundred laps around campus. What has gotten into these guys?'

Marui was running towards them with a bewildered expression and that made them curious on what was getting him like that.

When Marui was already in front Yukimura he fell down looking dead tired, understandable since he was running like hell from the sixth floor and even around the whole campus just to look for him with lightning speed.

"Buchou*pants*Niou*pants*pink*pants*trick*pants*guy*pants*fell from*pants*from the*pants*third floor." He said in between pants.

Yukimura didn't understand a single thing he said. "Huh?"

Marui slowly stood up.

"MARUITRICKED….THISNEWGUYANDTHEGUYFELL…DOWNFROMTHESIXTH…FLOORAND…WEDON'TKNOWIFHE'SDEADORALIVE!" Marui shouted.

Again, Yukimura couldn't understand what the red head said. "What?"

Niou suddenly appeared beside Marui and tackled him to the ground. "What do you mean it's my fault? It's yours!"

"NO YOURS!"

"YOURS!"

"NO YOURS!"

"YOURS!"

"NIOU! MARUI! KIRIHARA!" Sanada yelled. "RIGHT HERE THIS INSTANT!"

'Uh-oh'

"Y-yes fukubuchou."

BAM!

"ITAI!"

Sanada backhanded the three boys. "Now, explain it clearly this time." He said sternly.

"BUCHOU!" This time, Jackal was the one who one shouted it. He was running towards them with the same expression as Marui had.

A nerve popped inside Sanada as he used his hat as a boomerang and aimed it towards Jackal. Expected from his great accuracy, Sanada's hat did HIT Jackal…by the head and fell down. Normally, a simple hat wouldn't hurt someone but this is Sanada who we're talking about. A VERY pissed off Sanada who we are talking about and that Jackal fell down on the solid ground with a loud THUD. Amazingly, the hat flew back towards Sanada like a boomerang after it had hit its target.

I give him a ten! (Cue in applause from me)

Niou, Marui and Kirihara winced with what had happened with Jackal. Poor Jackal, so young and so…bald and had to face their fukubuchou's wrath even though he wasn't even a part of their argument.

Gathering up the courage he had, Marui scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously. "Um…you see the reason we're like this is because of-" Marui paused as he looked up. "Ah…"

And for some odd reason, the guy who they were going to tell them about was STILL falling and all of them couldn't help but look at him as he fell and yes, Jackal was with them after he recovered from the very painful fall he got a while ago because of a hat.

"this some guy…that fell down from the…sixth floor." Marui trailed off not keeping his eyes off of the falling student with every word he said.

(Cue in sound effects whenever somebody falls from a high place in a cartoon or an anime) WHOO…

Fate just had to play with them today for the guy continued to fall until he landed on the school garden pond, mind you, the school pond is very big.

A pregnant silence covered them until the guy's school tie was seen floating on top of the clear water.

…

"HOLD ON!" Kirihara yelled running towards the pond to save the 'boy' with the other regulars behind him not knowing that this 'boy' shall change their lives forever.

-End-

Hey, this is Silky-chan here but you can call me Rie.

So what do you guys think? I'm still thinking whether or not I'm going to continue this since this is only like a prologue of the whole story. Tell me if you'd like for me to continue this or not, ok?

Because, I'm going to continue this during my break.

Please review!


	2. Waking up to reality

Hey, this is Silky here!

I'd like to thank Fadey and chillybean for reviewing my story.

You guys are AWESOME!

So, ladies and gentlemen and fanfic readers, it is my pleasure to present to you CHAPTER 2

(Thanks by the way Fadey)

I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS!

Enjoy~

-Begin-

All the Rikkai Dai regulars were currently at the school clinic waiting for the status of the student they just saved from drowning.

"…"

"So how is he?" Yukimura asked the school nurse.

The school nurse looked down and shook her head. "I'm afraid not so good."

Niou and Marui felt bad.

The school nurse covered her mouth with her hand and looked like she was on the verge of tears. "His condition was so bad we had to send him to the hospital."

Correction, Marui and Niou felt guilty ABSOLUTELY horrible.

"And what's worse is that he may be on a comatose." The nurse cried.

That's it, Niou snapped. "OH MY GOSH! I really did kill somebody!"

"ME TOO! EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT MY FAULT I FEEL LIKE IT IS!" Marui yelled gripping the back of his head.

The school nurse blinked. "Your fault? I thought it was because of an accident."

"NO NO NO! IT'S MY FAULT! BECAUSE OF ME HE FELL DOWN FROM THE SIXTH FLOOR AND NOW HE'S GONE!" Niou cried.

"Sixth floor?" The nurse said. "Oh dear, I think you've got the wrong patient here. The boy I was talking about a while ago got into an accident from slipping from a banana peel and fell down the stairs because of it."

Niou and Marui stopped from the idiotic gestures they were doing and muttered an "Oh"

The nurse rose up her hands in defense and laughed nervously because of the intense glares she was receiving from Marui and Niou as they walked towards her.

"What do you mean," Marui said slowly giving a deadly glare.

"Wrong patient?" Niou continued with just as much anger as Marui.

BAM

BAM!

Marui's and Niou's head received a very hard backhand from a mad Sanada.

"I..tai"

"Show respect to your elders." Sanada said sternly.

"H-hai"

The nurse looked at the two boys and laughed nervously. "I believe you got the wrong person because rather than the boy I said before, there's no other male patient here."

"W-what do you mean, no other male patient?" Yukimura asked. "I was sure Akaya saved someone and carried him here."

The nurse nodded her head. "Yes, Kirihara-kun did carry someone here but the 'he' isn't a he."

"What do you mean by that?" Yagyuu asked.

The nurse closed her eyes. "You know why."

"…"

"…"

"…"

click

"EH?" Niou and Marui shouted in unison. "SO YOU MEAN!"

"Yes" The nurse nodded her head.

"And he is!"

"Yes"

"And that means!"

"Yes"

"Niou! YOU ACTUALLY MADE A GIRL FALL DOWN FROM THE SIXTH FLOOR!" Marui shouted.

"I DID? WELL IT IS ALSO YOUR FAULT!"

BAM

BAM

Sanada had backhanded to the two…again.

"No comment" Marui shakily said.

"Puri" Niou managed to mutter despite the headache.

"Saa…Sanada, I think that's enough already." Yukimura said. "If you keep backhanding them, I'm afraid we won't have a trickster or a net specialist anymore."

'Thanks for the save, Mura-buchou.' The two thought. Lucky guys…

"Back to the topic," Yagyuu said. "So you're stating that the student we brought here is a female."

"Yes"

"Then how is she?" Jackal asked.

"Her? She's doing fine. She's just changing clothes since her uniform is soaking wet." The nurse smiled.

With that said, Niou and Marui slumped down and sighed in relief. 'Good and here I thought we were done for.'

Shuffles were heard behind the curtains by the end of the room and Marui's and Niou's ear perked up.

"Um, miss? I'm done." A voice said from behind the curtain.

The nurse looked behind her and smiled.

"Oh good, you can come out now, dear."

The curtain was slid open and out came a girl with snow-white hair but had some lavender hues on the ends of the hair but was tied into a messy bun with her thin bangs covering almost her entire forehead. She had creamy white skin but it had a natural pink to its cheeks. Her eyes were different her left eye was covered by a black eyepatch with golden lining eye patch while her right eye was color topaz. She was wearing the girl's uniform but the sleeves of her uniform reached the end of her hands.

She looked at all of the regulars and stared at them.

And they stared back at her.

"...Who are you?" She said.

Yukimura smiled at the girl. "We're the tennis team of Rikkai Dai."

"Ok…" She nodded. "And why are you here?"

Yukimura continued to smile as he looked at the trickster of their team. "Because miss, we hace someone here who has something to tell you."

Yanagi pushed the hesitant Niou towards the girl.

"Oy, why me?" Niou asked towards his teammates.

Yanagi gave him an 'it's-your-fault' look.

Niou sighed and looked down at the smaller girl's topaz eyes.

He couldn't help but blush at how the girl looked at him with her eyes. "I'm s-s-sorry."

The girl just tilted her head to the side. "And why is that?" She asked cautiously.

"Because I was the reason why you fell down from the sixth floor." Niou said looking to his side. "Can I leave now?"

"I fell down from the sixth floor?" She asked.

"Hell yeah" Niou said. "It was pretty shocking to all of us, you know."

"And you're the reason why."

"Yeah sure" Niou said feeling really uncomfortable. "I already said sorry so I guess we're okay then so I guess I'll be going no- GACK!" Niou fell backwards after getting hit by a book, a VERY thick book. 

"What was that for?" Niou shouted at the girl who looked at him with a blank expression.

"Isn't it normal for a person to be angry when somebody pushed them to make them fall down from the sixth floor?" She asked as she threw another book at him.

"NO WAIT I MEAN YES! AARGH!" Niou yelled as he dodged another book.

"Yes! Missed me! Gack!" Another book had hit him…again. Where does she even get those books?

The regulars watched the exchange of their conversation with interest as Niou miserably tired to dodge each every object thrown with each object getting heavier and heavier with each throw. Oh look she's going to throw the nurse's office chair at him-wait what?

"MY CHAIR!"

Marui looked at his teammates as he kept pointing at the chair. "Oy, that's going to hurt, right?"

Indeed Marui…It IS going to hurt but good thing Niou was able to avoid it.

"Oy! Can we stop this?" Niou shouted but when he looked at the girl and what he saw made him falter. "NO!"

Apparently the girl grabbed the wooden desk of the nurse and was aiming it at Niou.

'How can such a cute girl be that strong?' Niou thought.

"Interesting" Yukimura whispered forgetting that his friend/teammate might get squished by a heavy wooden desk.

All of the tennis regulars sweatdropped.

The girl was about to throw the wooden desk when Kirihara suddenly came out of the room inside the school clinic, half-naked.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!"

Kirihara yelled backing away from the room until his back met the solid wall, looking like somebody scared the hell out of him.

"What's wrong, Akaya?" Yukimura asked.

"H-her…" Kirihara shakily pointed towards the middle-aged woman holding a syringe.

"Mura-buchou, she's going to kill me!" Kirhara said.

The head nurse sighed. "What all this about Yukari?"

The middle aged woman now known as Yukari looked sternly at Kirihara. "I told him to sit still while I was going to check his temperature and then started shouting how he doesn't want to die and saying get away from me you demon. So I decided to use this instead to shut him up." She said imitating the gestures Kirihara did while he was saying those things.

All of them looked at the second year.

"Is this true Akaya?" Yukimura asked.

Kirihara blushed and looked to his side. "Y-yeah…sort of" That wasn't what really happened though. It was a lot more embarrassing than that, trust me.

Kirhara started to chuckle nervously and turned to his side.

And that was when Kirihara, for the first time, noticed the girl who kept staring at him as if he was some sort of alien.

He looked to his sempais and asked. "Oy, who is the girl with an eyepatch?"

"Kirihara-kun, you're being rude." Yagyuu said.

He turned to the girl and bowed. "I apologize for his rudeness miss."

Kirihara's eye twitched. "Hey! You guys still haven't answered me! Who is the girl with an eyepatch?" He said waving his hands in the air.

Yagyuu sighed and was about to speak again but Yukimura held his shoulder.

"Buchou"

Yukimura smiled at him. "Akaya, let's not be rude now in front of a girl especially to the girl whom you saved." He said emphasizing on the word "saved".

Kirihara momentarily paused and stared at his buchou. "Eh?"

"He said saved, Akaya." Marui said looking at his kohai in disbelief.

"EH?" He shouted. "B-b-but I saved a dude not a dudette! H-h-how in the world does that happen?"

'Just who the heck is this guy?' The girl asked herself.

"AARGH!"

His cool black hair that somewhat shone of the color green reminded her of something. It was something edible, something wavy and somewhat…wet, really wet. She knows she loved eating it with raw fish and rice. She just couldn't put her tongue on it. What was it? Wasabi? Tamago? Kim-?

Wait, an imaginary light bulb appeared above her head.

'Now I remember!' She smiled inwardly.

"H-HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?" Kirihara yelled but stopped as he glanced at the girl with suspicious eyes.

"Oy, what are you trying to do Kirihara?" Jackal asked.

The devil of Rikkai Dai walked towards the girl and slowly poked her on the head.

"OH MY GOSH, IT IS A GIRL!" Kirhara yelled looking at his finger. "Mura-buchou, she is A GIRL!"

Very mature Kirhara…very mature.

Yukimura sighed.

Yagyuu rubbed his temples.

Marui needed gum.

Niou slapped his hand to his forehead.

Jackal was having the headache of his young (bald) life.

Yanagi decided that it was the best time to change the information about Kirihara's intelligence and sanity.

Sanada…well he just wanted to backhand the poor guy…with a racket.

Deciding that she liked the black haired guy's idiotic gestures, she tapped on the taller boy's shoulder and smiled a bit, something she only did rarely.

Kirhara blushed a bit and looked away feeling really uncomfortable.

The girl bowed and said, "Thank you for saving me"

"Seaweed-san"

Kirihara froze in shock.

'What?'

The whole tennis team regulars were also shocked at what happened and stared at the girl.

1, 2, 3… and…

"BWAHAHA!" Niou laughed on the floor hugging his stomach. "OH MY GOSH, THAT WAS GOLD! THE GIRL'S A GENIUS!"

Soon, Marui also joined in with the laughter. "HA HA HA! SHE CALLED YOU SEAWEED BOY!"

Niou then suddenly appeared beside the girl and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "You're pretty cool, you know that? I like you!"

Marui also appeared beside her and patted her head. "Yeah, yeah, me too, you're fun!"

"So what's your name?" Niou asked ignoring the frozen second year.

She bit her lower lip and looked down as if trying to avoid that question.

The nurse sighed when she saw this and decided to answer the question for her instead. "Her name is Arianna Rie, the new student who just transferred here to Rikkai Dai." The nurse stated looking at a paper in her hands. "You were supposed to be at the principal's office hours ago but since you had an accident I'll just tell him the reason why you didn't show up later."

The girl named Rie looked at the nurse sharply for giving her name but soon nodded her head as a 'thanks'.

"So you're name is Rie." Niou said looking at the girl with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I see… Well the name's Niou Masaharu, the trickster of the tennis team. If you need anyone to 'accidentally' fall down, slip or be gone for a few minutes just call me and I'm at your service, puri." He winked.

Marui whacked his head. "What kind of an introduction is that?"

"My awesome introduction." Niou replied rubbing his head.

Marui faced her and smiled cheekily.

"Hi! My name is Marui Bunta, the net specialist of the tennis team and I really love sweets. Let's get along well."

"WHY YOU!" Niou said tackling Marui. "And you SAY MY INRODUCTION'S WEIRD!"

"IT IS!"

"HEY!"

Rie stared the two teenagers with interest as they kicked each other in the face while beating the other's hand. How do they do that anyway?

"What a pain these two are."

Rie looked to her back to see a dark-skin boy just the same age as Marui and Niou, but what really stood out to her was that he had no hair growing on his scalp at all.

Nice

"Nice to meet Arianna-san, my name is Kuwahara Jackal, I'm half-brazilian if you're wondering." He smiled.

Rie nodded slowly although his answer did answer one of her questions, what she really was wondering was about why he was bald and why his scalp was so…shiny.

She then saw a guy who was wearing glasses. "A pleasure to meet you, Arianna-san. I'm Yagyuu Hiroshi."

"Likewise" She replied.

Yagyuu smiled at the girl's response back to him. Normally, girls would probably rather faint from loss of blood when they have only met half of the regulars of the tennis club so this was nice for a change.

"I guess it's my turn to introduce myself now." Another guy said.

His eyes were closed so Rie wondered whether he could see or not and if his eyes were just too small to even be seen like the guy she saw in a movie.

"I'm Yanagi Renji, the data master of the team." He said.

"U-un"

Just then a guy wearing a cap walked up to them. He looked strict and scary.

"I'm the vice-captain of the tennis team, Sanada Genichirou." Was what all he said.

'That was short' She thought.

"Stop being such a gruff, Genichirou." A teenage boy appeared who looked like he was the same age as him.

He looked quite attractive but a bit…feminish she might say, nonetheless he is still handsome.

"Hello there, my name is Yukimura Seiichi, the captain of the tennis team." He said softly.

"By the way," Niou said. "the frozen guy over there is Kirhara Akaya, the devil of the tennis club and the brat of the team too." He said pointing to the seaweed haired boy.

'Demon? Brat? Seaweed dude?" She raised her brow at Kirihara, who still remained frozen.

Marui sighed and walked towards the frozen boy. "Oy, Kirihara are you still here with us? Hello?" He waved his hands in front of his face.

Still no response.

"Seaweed-san, are you okay?" Rie asked.

"STOP CALLING ME SEAWEED! MY NAME IS KIRHARA AKAYA!" He shouted.

"Okay then, seaweed dude." She said raising her hand.

Kirihara fell down.

Rie blinked clearly confused on why seaweed dude fell down. Did she do something wrong?

"Was there something I said?" She asked the regulars only to get a laugh from Niou and Marui.

"MAN, I'M STARTING LIKE YOU MORE BY THE SECOND!"

Kirihara shakily stood up and shouted. "I AM NOT A SEAWEED!"

"Okay Seaweed-san" She smiled.

A large crash was heard…by Kirhara. "AARGH! Buchou, HELP! Please tell her I am not a SEAWEED!"

Maybe it's best if she shuts up…Nah… I'll just be killing the fun. (laughs sinisterly)

Jackal sweatdropped. 'These guys…'

The nurse coughed to get their attention. "Since Miss Arianna is already well, how about you gentlemen accompany her outside the school to make sure she doesn't get into any more accidents."

"We'd very much oblige." Yagyuu said.

"Hey wait a minute!" Niou objected but immediately stopped when he saw the glares he received from the other regulars. "N-nothing"

The nurse clapped her hands together. "Excellent! Miss Arianna shall be starting her class tomorrow morning as a first year!"

Rie bowed to the nurse. "Thank you for taking care of me."

The nurse laughed. "It's nothing, dear. Get well, ok?" She said as the regulars left with Rie and Marui dragging the depressed Kirihara with him by the collar.

"Things are going to get really interesting from now on, I can feel it!" The nurse said.

"Here we go again, Yumi" Yukari said to her friend.

Yumi just smiled.

'Things are really going to become interesting from now on.'

-With the regulars and Rie-

"Hey, Arianna-chan" Marui started.

"Yes?" She asked looking at him.

"Why did you even sleep by the window sill?" Marui asked. "I suppose you have already noticed that the window was already opened that time."

"Yeah, I knew it was open all that time."

"Then why?" Marui asked gaining the other's attention.

Rie looked very thoughtful. "Hmm…"

The others were expecting a very long explanation from her from the she looked. Rie kept scratching her head and looking up in the sky.

"I-"

"you"

"I-"

"You"

"I really don't know why."

CRASH!

Everybody fell except for Yukimura, Sanada, Yanagi and Yagyuu.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW!" The four people who fell shouted in unison.

Rie shrugged. "I just felt sleepy that's why and I kind of got lost around my way to the office."

Niou slapped his forehead.

Yukimura chuckled. 'What a very interesting girl.'

Sanada sighed. 'This day is just full of surprises.'

"Well I better get going." Rie said looking at the setting sun. "Thanks a lot for today." She bowed to them.

"See you tomorrow, Senpais and Seaweed-san." She said running towards the gate.

"I AM NO SEAWEED!" Kirihara yelled to the small but cute girl.

With this, the regulars smiled. Maybe today wasn't such a bad day after all scratch the fact they got the headaches of their lives.

-Extra scene-

"Oy, Niou" Marui said. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Puri?" Niou asked.

"Didn't you eat a banana during lunch?"

"Yeah?"

"And weren't you just by the stairs when you ate it?"

"Yeah"

"And you didn't throw it away to the trash bin, didn't you?"

"Nope"

"Ah… Okay" Marui said looking up. "Wait a minute!"

"You're the reason why the guy the nurse was talking about fell down the stairs!"

"I am? AWESOME!" Niou yelled.

"No! It's not awesome, you really did almost killed somebody!"

"But still, how awesome am I?" Niou smirked.

-End-

So how was it? I was like really bored when I did this but I got my energy from you, my dear readers so first of all, I'd like to say THANKS! And second of all, rest assured that you will be expecting a lot more chapters when summer break comes. Our exams are near. T.T

Please review my dear readers!


	3. Don't mess with her

Hey, all of you guys are so awesome!

I'd like to thank the following people who reviewed my story:

Fadey

Chillybean

DaLite

PrincessLied

Dinpol96

^.^

-On with the story-

"LET GO, AKAYA!"

"NO!"

"LET…GO!" Marui shouted trying to pull Kirihara away from Yukimura.

"I don't wanna!" He pouted.

"Come now, Akaya." Yukimura smiled while his right eye twitched. "Let go of my arm."

"b-but Buchou" Kirihara whimpered. "I just wanted to greet you good morning."

"Greet you good morning my ass." Niou muttered pulling Kirihara by the ear, effectively pulling Kirihara with him. "You can't say good morning to someone by running to him like hell and then hugging him to the ground yelling "GOOD MORNING" like an idiot. It just ain't right."

"Ouch!" Kirihara shouted rubbing his ear. "What do you mean by that?"

"What I mean is that tackling Mura-buchou to the ground just to greet him isn't right!" Niou yelled. "It makes you look like you're going to RAPE HIM!"

Marui spitted out the strawberry milk he was drinking spurting it all to Niou.

"What the HELL!" Niou yelled glaring straight at Marui who was coughing nonstop.

"What the hell are you saying?" Marui asked wiping off some of the strawberry milk off of his mouth.

"You mean the rape thing?" Niou looked at him in disbelief. "Well it's true, you know."

"Yes! It may be true but you were using a very WRONG way to describe what Akaya was doing. He must really shocked by now." Marui said looking at Kirihara.

"See?" Marui started pointing at the second year. "He's really shocked!"

"I…guess so." Niou said.

"Um…ano…senpai" Kirihara whispered.

"Yes?" The two asked.

"What is rape?" He asked tilting his head to the side.

CRASH

Marui and Niou fell down.

They slowly stood up and looked at him as if he was crazy or something related to that.

"You don't know what rape means?" They both asked in unison.

Kirihara nodded his head.

"Are you sure you weren't fed stupid juice when you were a baby, brat?" Niou asked. "I mean you're brain is like the size of a walnut." Niou said.

Kirihara's eye twitched. "I AM NOT A BRAT AND YOU'RE NOT SMART TOO! YOU-YOU-YOU- YOU BUSHY HAIRED GUY!"

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?"

"You heard me. I just called you bushy-haired!' Kirihara stuck out his tongue.

"Very mature, Akaya." Marui said rubbing his forehead.

Kirihara started waving his hands in the air. "Well if you won't tell me what it means then I'll just go ask somebody else."

"Fine" Niou muttered. "Spread your stupidity to someone else rather than us."

"AARGH! MEANIE!" Kirihara said sticking out his tongue at him.

"Seiichi" Yanagi called out walking towards their captain with Sanada.

Yukimura waved to them. "Hey"

"What did the principal wanted to say to you?" Yanagi asked.

"I haven't seen him…yet. I got sidetracked by those three." He said glancing the arguing Marui and Niou.

"Three? I'm only seeing two." He said.

"The third one's Akaya."

"Akaya?" He asked looking around.

Where's Kirihara? Oh yeah, he just appeared in front of Yanagi.

Yanagi, of course was surprised. Who wouldn't? A dude just appeared in front of you from who knows where and then suddenly looks at you seriously isn't normal. No it is definitely not especially if it is Kirihara.

"Yanagi-senpai," Kirihara said seriously.

"What is it, Akaya?" Yanagi asked.

Yukimura and Sanada looked at Kirihara in surprise. They only saw him like that when it was during a tennis match or when he fails English…which is a lot but still, this must be serious.

"What is rape?"

All of them stood frozen.

What…the…fudge?

"What?" Yanagi asked again. He didn't hear it right, right?

Kirihara inhaled and asked again, "What is rape?"

"…"

"Senpai? Is there something wrong with my question?"

Sanada's eye twitched. "Who told you that word, Akaya?"

"Bushy-haired and Bunta" Kirihara said dumbly.

'This isn't going to be good.' Yukimura sighed.

"I HEARD THAT!" Niou shouted. "AND MY HAIR IS NOT THAT BUSHY!"

"Yes it is!" Kirihara yelled. "Your hair is so bushy that you could fit a big bazooka in it!"

"NO IT CAN'T, YOU BRAT!"

"YES YOU CAN!"

"COME HERE YOU BRAT!"

"BUCHOU, HELP! NIOU IS GOING TO KILL ME!" Kirihara yelled hiding behind Yukimura.

"Oy, don't bring Mura-buchou into this!" Niou yelled. "When I get my hands on you!"

"NIOU AND MARUI!" Sanada yelled.

"Oh cra- OUCH!" Niou shouted.

'Dammit!' Marui thought rubbing his head.. 'I'm going to get a concussion if this continues.'

"Ha ha ha!" Kirihara smirked. "You got hit- ACK!" Kirihara shouted after getting hit by Sanada's fist.

"Ow…my head." He said rubbing his head.

Yukimura sighed and rubbed his temple.

'This is getting out of hand.' He thought.

"So… back to our conversation a while ago." Yanagi started. "Why don't we go inside the principal's office and ask him why he called for you."

Yukimura smiled and nodded. "Sure. That was the most logical thing I have ever heard this day."

"Well then, let' go inside the principal's office right now!" Niou shouted excitedly for the first time since he only got called to the principal's office when he got in trouble, poor behavior in class and when he got in trouble, which was a lot.

Sadly, there was no need for Niou to be so excited because just as they were going to open the door to the office, the principal's assistant suddenly came out yelling and looking like a maniac.

By the way, the door to the office hit Niou straight in the face…now that hurts...ouch.

"OH NO! OH NO! OH FREAKING HELL NO! THIS IS TERRIBLE!" she yelled running around in circles.

"WHAT DO I DO? WHAT DO I DO? WHAT DO I DO?" She yelled gripping the back of her head.

"HOW ABOUT SHUTTING UP!" Marui yelled.

The principal's assistant stopped and coughed trying to regain her composure and blushed. "Um…I am very sorry for my actions a while ago."

"It's fine, Ms. Itari." Yukimura said. "I came here because the principal asked for me."

"Oh yes, that's right. The principal asked for you and Yagyuu-kun." She said fixing her glasses.

"Hiroshi?" Marui repeated. "Where is he?"

"Right here" Jackal said coming out of the room with Yagyuu. "I'm surprised all of you guys are here."

"So are we." Yanagi agreed.

Ms. Itari sighed. "The principal has asked for Yagyuu-kun and Yukimura-kun asked for the two of you because he would like both of you to accompany our new student here at Rikkai Dai and show her around campus."

"Why us?" Yukimura asked politely.

"Well first of all, Yagyuu-kun is the head of the student council so he should do the honors of introducing the new student to our school and it the principal has heard of the news that all of the tennis regulars have met the new student." She explained.

"Met the new student? All of us?" Jackal asked. "When and how?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment before replying, "I believe it has something to do with falling off of the sixth floor."

The regulars' eyes widened.

"Then that means, Mura-buchou and Yagyuu are going to give Arianna-chan a tour." Niou stated the obvious.

'Duh…' Marui and Kirhara thought.

"I'm in!" Niou said.

"Me too" Marui joined in.

"Me three!" Kirihara smiled.

"I guess there's no choice, ne Sanada?" Yanagi said.

"Torundaru" Sanada muttered hiding the fact he also wanted to see the girl from yesterday since she pretty much managed to nab all of the regulars' attention especially Kirhara's since he was blabbering nonstop about her calling him seaweed.

"So where is she?" Marui asked.

Ms. Itari seemed to be frozen for a moment before panicking like a maniac again.

"OH NO! THIS IS TERRIBLE! I-"

"CALM DOWN!" Niou and Marui shouted. "NOW WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?"

"Arianna-san, she's missing!" She shouted. "She was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago but she wasn't so I think she might be lost around the school again!"

Marui and Niou slapped their foreheads. 'That girl...'

"Calm down," Jackal said. "Have you done anything else rather than screaming to make the situation any better?"

"Why yes" She replied holding her hands together. "I've sent some seniors to look for her right now."

Niou grinned. "Then that should at least do something to help you." 'Though, knowing the girl from what she displayed yesterday, she'd probably show up to us in a very crazy way.' Niou thought not knowing how true he was.

"GRAB A GOOD HOLD ON HER!"

"I ALREADY AM! OUCH! SHE HIT ME!"

"SHUT UP! I HAVE THE ROPE NOW!"

"QUICK TIE HER!"

Shouts were heard by the end of the hallway. Kicking, punching and shouts of pain were evidently heard by the regulars.

"Hey, you don't think those shouts were caused by-"

"Arianna-chan?"

"Yeah"

"I'm 100% sure it is."

"OWW! SHE BIT ME!"

"Bingo, we have a winner. It IS her."

After six minutes of shouting, kicking and biting and inflicting pain on the seniors, they were finally able to bring Rie to the worried assistant…tied in a rope. Very comfy.

"ARIANNA-SAN!" She shouted only to get a growl from her as a response.

She turned to face the seniors and smiled at them. "Thank you very much for your hard work, boys."

The three seniors panted and one of them was about to speak but immediately stopped when he saw the glare Rie was giving him.

"I better get going…um…I have to still t-trim the bushes around the garden! Yeah I better go now so see ya!" He yelled.

The two other boys also stood up and left chasing after the first boy.

"Well that was weird…" Kirihara gave a low whistle

"I agree"

Ms. Itari sighed and stared at Rie, who was busy looking down at the floor.

"Care to explain why they were acting like that?"

"I was sleeping that time and they suddenly appear and wake me up." She said in a blank tone.

"Is that all?"

Rie sighed. "I don't like being forced to wake up in a very rude way so I did the usual thing I always do."

"Which is?"

"Biting them"

"Very…civilized." She commented. "Biting people just because they woke you up."

Rie just looked to the side as a response and pouted.

Ms. Itari gasped. 'What a-a c-cute FACE!'

Yukimura sweatdropped when he noticed the assistant's expression. 'This is bad.'

He coughed trying to get their attention which seemed to work since the two female's faces turned to their direction.

Rie's eyes widened when she saw the regulars. It seems like it was just this time she noticed them here. Wow…

"Sempais"

"Yo" Niou and Marui winked while the others nodded at her.

"Seaweed-san"

CRASH!

"I AM NOT A SEAWEED!" Kirihara yelled.

So this is the girl we were supposed to give a tour. This is going to be a LOONG day...

-End-

Hey guys, this is me here thanking all of you for reviewing my chapters. You guys have touched my heart! :))

So please tell others about my story.

Oh yeah, I might not be able to update chapters for weeks because our achievement tests are near which means I have to really study hard so I don't get summer.

See ya


	4. Marui is a what?

Hey, sorry for the long wait!

I'm still alive by the way and here's the new chapter for this fic.

Hope you guys will like it!

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS! **

**-On with the story-**

One word could only describe the whole tour, chaotic. For reasons you don't want to know but I'm going to tell you anyway. First of all, Marui and Niou had to tie the freshman in a rope for assaulting 'innocent' students just for staring at her when she knew that almost all of the female student population were glaring at her for spending time with their beloved team. Second, they also realized that she was accident prone. She almost fell down the stairs for slipping on a banana, almost got hit by a falling flower pot and lastly, almost got her hand stuck in the toilet because of an unknown reason and had to pull her hand several times until the regulars checked up her for taking too long in the restroom. Of course, the outcome didn't go too good well since, they're boys and the girls' restroom is somewhere they don't WANT to go and the list goes on and on.

And now Yukimura could only ask himself how in the world they got themselves into this position.

All he wanted was a peaceful lunch with his friends and try to get to know the girl better but instead he got this.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Kirihara shouted hiding behind the blue haired captain. "BUCHOU! HELLP!"

Niou watched in amusement as he watched the girl who kept catching his interest try to cut a lock of Akaya's wavy hair with a pair of scissors she got from nowhere.

"GACK!" Kirihara yelled after being tackled down by the shorter student.

"LET GO!" He shouted grabbing Rie's hand and pinned her down.

Rie glared at the boy and tried to kick him off of her but only found it useless.

"Kirihara-kun, stop it. That's not a proper way to treat a lady." Yagyuu said.

Kirihara glared at his senpai at the same time trying to hold back the younger female. "You think she's a lady? Hell no she isn't! Just look at what she's trying to do to me."

"SHE'S TRYING FREAKING KILL ME!"

Sanada's eye twitched. He glanced at Yanagi and gave him a look that said "DO-SOMETHING".

Yanagi sighed inwardly. He got the secret message hidden (or maybe not so hidden) look Sanada gave him. "DO-SOMETHING-OR-SUFFER", now that's something Sanada would definitely say.

Yanagi coughed to gain the attention of Kirihara and Rie.

Rie blinked at him from her position and tilted her head.

"May I ask the reason why you are trying to cut Akaya's hair." Yanagi asked. 'There's 30% chance that it's because Akaya might need a haircut and a 70% chance that it maybe because there is another more illogical reason for that.'

Rie gave Kirihara a blank look. "Get off of me."

Kirihara glared back at her. "And what if I won't?"

"Then I won't answer to his question."

Kirihara grumbled and was about to say something when Yukimura cut him off.

"Let her go, Akaya." Yukimura ordered gently.

Kirihara's eyes widened and he hesitantly stood up. "Speak now, baka onna."

Rie decided to ignore the name he called her.

"I'm having onigiri for lunch today but there is something wrong with my onigiri."

"And what does it have to do with my hair!"

"There's no seaweed around it." She said solemnly as if it was something worthy to be mourned of. She sulked around a corner and then glanced at Kirihara but more on his hair. "And then I realized that Seaweed-san's hair is like seaweed then a light of hope hit me giving me the chance of savoring the taste of a true onigiri." She explained and then after that she started saying the essence of seaweed in an onigiri and why it was so important.

Everyone and I MEAN everyone who heard her stared at her in shock. Just who in the world is this girl?

"BUCHOU! THIS GIRL IS CRAZY!" Kirhara yelled pointing at Rie. "SHE'S CRAZY I TELL YOU! CRAZY!"

After processing what the girl said Niou and Marui started laughing.

"THIS IS NOT FUNNY!" Kirihara yelled. "THERE'S A CRAZY GIRL HOLDING A PAIR OF SCI-"

"Oy, Kirihara, why are you shivering?" Jackal asked noticing how Kirihara started feeling creeped out.

Well, Jackal, the answer is very simple. The whole temperature from where they stand got 180 degrees cooler and that a suddenly dark aura started to spread at an increasing pace…for Kirihara that is.

"So" Rie said walking slowly towards Kirihara. "Shall I start with the trimming?" She asked sweetly but Kirhara knew there was something hidden in it…something very scary.

"HIII!" Kirihara shouted.

"Stand still"

"NO WAY!" Kirihara backed away from the girl and in the process unknowingly steps on a purple colored handkerchief the covers what was like a lunchbox.

"Huh?" Kirihara looked down to see a lunchbox wrecked. "My bad"

"My lunchbox" Rie said kneeling down before her lunchbox. "My onigiri" she whimpered.

Then for some unknown reason, a sad music started playing around her and snow started falling down on her lunchbox for dramatic effects.

"The onigiri that was made for me." She started saying as she held the wrecked lunchbox.

Kirihara sweatdropped. 'Just what the hell is wrong with her and what's with the stupid song'

"How did we ended up in some drama show about an onigiri dying?" Niou muttered.

"Blame the author" I said. (as in the author herself)

"Did you hear anything?" Niou said looking around for the unknown voice which I own.

"No, why?" Jackal asked.

"Well that was weird. I swear I just heard something." Niou scratched the back of his head.

Marui sighed and felt sorry for the girl so he got an onigiri inside his lunchbox and gave it to her.

"Here, take this." He said showing the onigiri towards.

Rie looked at it for a good five seconds and looked at Marui for any doubt.

"What are you waiting for? Eat it." Marui smiled at her.

She blushed a bit and looked a bit embarrassed. She took the food and took a bite from it.

Marui grinned.

Rie's eyes widened and she started looking at the onigiri as if it was some kind of gold.

(Enter the cute eyes people like a lot)

Rie looked at the read haired net specialist and smiled at him.

Marui blushed at how cute she looked and smiled cheekily.

"How did you make your onigiri so good?" Rie asked looking up at the senior in awe.

Marui scratched the back of his head. "Umm…I'm not so sure about that."

"That's because his mom makes his lunch you know." Niou said.

"Well how about you!" Marui yelled but got his attention back to Rie when pulled his shirt and gave him the admiration look with sparkles in her eyes.

'She's all sparkly right now.' Marui thought.

"How did you make your onigiri so white?" Rie asked.

"Wait? White? Aren't rice always white when made into onigiri?" Marui said.

Rie snapped back into reality. "Eh? Really? But my onigiri is always colored purple." She said taking one onigiri from her lunchbox and showed it to the regulars.

All of them felt some sort of stomach ache when they looked at the purple "edible" food.

Yukimura's eye twitched.

Kirihara felt sick while the others couldn't stand the look of the onigiri. For Pete's sake it was purple people! Purple and that was something you don't see everyday.

Rie just gave them an innocent look.

"A-Arianna-chan, who made you this onigiri?" Marui asked.

"My guardian. Why?" Rie asked.

"Does he always make you this?"

"Yeah"

"Every meal time?"

"Yes"

"And it's always color purple?"

"Everytime"

"And you haven't wondered why it's colored purple?"

"No. I thought it was just normal."

"Have you ever seen a **regular** onigiri?"

"Just the ones my guardian makes, even during dessert it's always purple but I thought it was just frosting."

When she said the word dessert Marui's world was filled with thunderstorms.

"Why? Is there another color besides purple for a cake?" Rie asked.

That was it, Marui couldn't handle it anymore.

He started crying and hugged the girl senseless in a very funny way. "THE PAIN OF NOT TASTING A SINGLE NORMAL CAKE IS REALLY PAINFUL YOU KNOW. LET IT OUT, ARIANNA-CHAN. LET YOUR NEED FOR SWEETS BE HEARD!"

"Huh? Was there something wrong with what I said?"

Jackal's mouth was left open in shock. "You mean you didn't feel sick at all?"

Rie looked up. "Well there was this one time I felt really sick from eating one of his cooking which was actually black rather than being purple but other than that, a few stomach aches and fever none. I'm already used to his cooking I guess."

That made Marui cry more and hug her even tighter. "You know what. I'll do it!"

"What?"

Marui stood up and wiped the tears off of his eyes. "I'll treat you to lots of cakes later so you'll know the joy of the sweetness of desserts!"

The sparkle returned to her eyes as she looked at Marui. "Really?"

"You bet!" Marui smiled and started hugging the girl again but this time rubbing his cheek to her marshmallow-like skin.

"Thank you!" Rie smiled.

Kirihara felt his eye twitch. 'That girl is taking away everyone's attention.'

Niou saw this and smirked. "Now, now, Kirihara, there's no need to be jealous." He said as he ruffled the boy's messy hair.

"Che" Kirihara said crossing his arms over his chest. "As if I'd be jealous of a sweet-addicted lolicon."

And with that simple statement everyone went into silence with what Kirihara had said…except for Rie for she had no clue to what he had just said.

…

…

…

"NIOU!" Sanada yelled furiously at the trickster.

"What?" Niou yelled back.

"Because of your dirty mind, you have been influencing Akaya in the wrong way!" Sanada said ready to backhand Niou as many times as he could.

"NO I DID NOT!"

"GET BACK HERE AND ACCEPT YOUR PUNISHMENT!"

"AS IF!"

The regulars that were left couldn't help just stare at Sanada trying to chase Niou and then stare at the brat of the team.

"so what should we do next?" Yagyuu asked.

"Go to practice of course. We are excused remember? Besides, we're already done giving Arianna-chan a tour." Yukimura said.

Kirihara inwardly jumped in joy. 'YES! WE'RE GOING TO FINALLY LOSE HER!"

Sadly, his joy was short-lived when Yukimura turned his head to Rie. "So Arianna-chan, would you like to come and watch us play tennis? We could even teach you how to play."

'NO!' Kirihara yelled in his mind. 'Dont't do this to me, buchou!"

"Sure" Rie said bringing back the blank look on her face.

Kirihara fell down with a loud THUD.

-The end for this chapter-

Yes, summer break is finally here! Guess that means you'll be expecting a lot of chapters from me now, won't you? Though I'm still nervous because Monday is the day we will be receiving our test results. EEP! Hope I won't fail a test there.

Please review!


	5. Conclusions and Fighting back

**A BIG BIG SORRY FOR YOU READERS! I WAS SUPPOSED TO UPDATE THIS CHAPTER TWO WEEKS AGO BUT SOMETHING WENT WRONG AND THE SITE WASN'T ABLE TO PROCESS IT PROPERLY! I'M SO SORRY IF YOU GUYS WAITED TOO LONG.**

**NOTE: I changed my pen name from SilkyDiamond to Crimsonlinkx.**

**By the way, Rie here always wears long sleeves that almost reach the end of her hands.**

**THANK YOU FOR READING~**

**I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS**

* * *

**-Begin-**

"The Rikkai Dai tennis courts are really something else compared to the other ones I've seen before." Rie said looking at each tennis court.

"Well I wouldn't be surprised about that since our school is a very well known school for tennis." Marui said while chewing another one of his bubble gum.

"Well we shouldn't be slacking off right now. We have practice." Yukimura smiled. "20 laps after you guys change now."

Groans could be heard.

"Make that thirty."

Everyone kept their mouths shut and immediately ran to the locker room to change.

Yukimura was about to follow them but stopped when he felt a tug on his shirt.

"Huh?" He said looking at Rie.

"Will I join them?" Rie asked.

Yukimura chuckled and patted her head. "If you'd like you can but the campus is really big, you might get tired easily."

Rie's eye twitched. "I'm not a kid. I can handle myself."

Yukimura sighed. "Fine by me but you need to change first. The girl's locker room is just behind that corner over there and there are some spare clothes you can wear over there too."

Rie nodded.

"See you later." Yukimura waved. 'Hmm…I wonder if she'll be-'

**CRASH!**

"I'm okay" Rie said assuring the tennis team captain she was fine after slipping on a banana peel and fell face first into the ground.

Yukimura chuckled nervously and went to the locker room to change. 'Where do the banana peels even come from?'

-After ten minutes-

The regulars were up and ready to start running around the whole campus when Kirihara started shouting, "WHAT IS SHE DOING HERE?"

Marui brightened up. "Arianna-chan, are you going to join us?"

Rie nodded.

She was wearing the spare outfit inside the girl's locker room.

"WHY?" Kirihara yelled.

"Because I'd like to see how you guys practice." She simply replied. "Besides your captain said it was alright if I joined."

Kirihara's eye twitched. 'Buchou did?'

Yukimura saw the look Kirihara was giving and chuckled inside his head. 'Ah…young love' (More like young hate, a one-sided hate)

"But Buchou, she could be a spy from the other schools."

"I study here."

"Well she could be one of those double agents try to take information from their teammates and give the data they collect to other people."

"How can I when I just came back to Japan?"

"Well… you're still a spy with all that gadgets and stuffs and all those evil little plans and…" Kirihara continued on and on with the help of unneeded gestures to emphasize his point.

"Well then, shall we start?" Yagyuu asked fixing his glasses ignoring the useless things Kirihara was saying.

Yukimura nodded earning a groan from Kirihara.

"No buts, Akaya" Yukimura said.

"Hai…" Kirihara looked down. 'Damn her'

And so the seven of them started doing their laps.

If you were wondering why they were only seven, well Sanada was still chasing Niou around the whole campus and unfortunately bringing innocent by-standers into their mess.

Poor innocent by-standers…

Oh well, let's go back to the regulars. We have Kirihara who keeps glaring daggers at Rie who just shrugs it off.

'Ever since that girl arrived here, she's been stealing everyone's attention from me.' Kirihara grumbled. 'I used to have all of buchou's attention and now she's here. I don't like her.'

"Oy, Kirihara, you're getting slow!" Marui called out. "Hurry up or else we'll leave you behind."

Kirihara looked to his senpais and then his eyes wandered off to look for the girl.

He found Rie just behind Jackal and was surprisingly keeping up though still a bit slow but was still able to keep her own speed.

A vein popped in his head. "Darn it!"

He sped up his pace and managed to run up to Yanagi who was just behind Yukimura who was in the first.

Feeling a sense of triumph from being in front of Rie, he mentally smirked and looked behind him expecting to see an annoyed face from the girl but was surprised when he saw that she didn't even cared since she was bust trying to look for another banana peel that she might slip.

'What is wrong with this girl? Can't she see I have defeated her?' Kirihara thought but quickly shook his head. 'Dammit, don't tell me she thinks I'm not even worthy to be even seen as a rival.'

"Darn it! I'll show her I'm the one who's worthy of becoming the brat of the tennis team and not her." Kirihara muttered all the while glaring the girl. 'T-!'

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Niou suddenly ran past the regulars like hell with Sanada just eight behind him. "I DIDN'T DO IT!"

"NIOU, COME BACK HERE AND FACE YOUR PUNISHMENT LIKE A TRUE RIKKAI REGULAR!"

"LIKE HELL! IF OTHER PEOPLE WERE IN MY PLACE, THEY WOULDN'T LISTEN TO A THING YOU SAY BECAUSE THEY'D TOO BUSY RUNNING FOR THEIR LIFE!" Niou yelled.

Sanada wasted no time. He took off his cap and threw it towards the running trickster like a boomerang.

BANG!

Niou fell down in a similar manner on how Jackal got hit in the first meeting between the regulars and Rie.

Everybody winced and Jackal silently had a brotherly bond for Niou since he knew the pain of being a victim of Sanada's boomerang cap.

"Oh, cra-" Niou muttered rubbing his sore head when Sanada gave him another headache by hitting his head.

Yukimura sighed at what happened but at the same time amused at what Niou was saying.

"Well since the two of you are already done with um…that. Twenty laps now." Yukimura said. 'They better hurry up now since we're already on our fifteenth lap.'

The Rikkai Dai tennis team captain let his eyes roam over the other regulars and two students caught his eyes. One was a male with black wavy hair and deep sea green eyes while the other was a female with clear topaz eyes and glistening silver hair.

Yes, as you would have guessed, the two were Kirihara Akaya and Arianna Rie. There was nothing special happening right now rather than the fact Kirihara was starting to really hate the girl who was stealing all of his senpais' attention although the whole 'I-am-gonna-be-the-only-brat-here' competition was practically one-sided. Oh well.

This was the first time Akaya ever had his attention to a certain girl although it was the complete opposite with what Yukimura had wanted though but hatred develops into something more right? Well let's just hope that something 'more' would be good and not bad. Yukimura wanted their 'brat' to be happy and maybe just maybe this girl would be the key to Akaya's heart.

"BUCHOU! THE BAKA ONNA IS STARING AT ME!" Kirihara whined.

Let's just hope so.

"Who wouldn't?" Marui started resting his two arms behind his head. "I mean all of us are staring at you! Out of all of us, you're the only one who looks like he was about to explode."

He turned around making his back face the second year. "And here I thought Sanada-fukubuchou was the one who'll be like that." He mused.

'Blame the baka onna.' Kirihara thought and started running again. The faster he runs the faster he'll finish his laps and the faster he can get his irritation to cool down. 'Darn it!'

Marui could just only blink at the trail of dust Kirihhara left when he started running. "And there he goes, off to run away from his problems." He trailed. "Hey, Jackal"

The taller teenager looked to his doubles partner and raised a brow. "What?"

A bored look was pasted on the red head's face. "What's up with Kirihara? I think it has already been established that he doesn't like Arianna-chan but this is just getting too far. We all know he doesn't like her but I think he's starting to hate her more than his stupid fangirls." He said while running his laps with Jackal beside him, keeping their pace the same so they could talk.

"This is getting really troublesome." He said popping a bubble from his signature green apple flavor gum.

Jackal gave him a knowing glance. "I know what you're saying but I wouldn't say that Kirihara hates Arianna-san."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Kirihara has always been used to be given the attention from all of us may it be good or bad. He's always with buchou and some of us even agreed that he is buchou's favorite even though it was a joke from the start. He may be a second year middle schooler right now but he still has the mind of a baby." Jackal explained and added in a very low tone. "A spoiled baby brat"

That didn't go unheard by Marui and he couldn't help but laugh at that comment. "How true is that?"

"That would be a hundred percent." Yanagi said appearing behind them scaring the hell out of Marui.

Marui had an exasperated look on his face and clutched his chest where his heart was supposed to be. "God, Yanagi, you should stop scaring the hell outta me."

Yanagi gave him a blank stare, replying "Sorry, it has already been a habit of mine."

Marui put up an annoyed face and looked behind him. "Where's Arianna-chan?"

Yanagi pointed behind him making Marui and Jackal look behind them to the direction where Yanagi was pointing to, only to see Arianna having a conversation with Yagyuu while they did their laps.

Seeing he had answered the red head's question, he started talking. "Yagyuu told me check out what you guys were talking about."

Marui turned to look at the datamaster. "We were talking about Kirihara's behavior though I think you already knew what we were already talking about."

"True"

"So what do you think?" Marui asked looking ahead of the track.

Yanagi kept silent for a while. "It's natural."

"Just like what Jackal said earlier and to sum it all up. He was spoiled and he just doesn't want to lose the attention he was given and I think he doesn't hate Arianna-san, he's just so you say, irritated with her. Akaya is the type of person who doesn't let go of things that are dear to him to just some stranger who he doesn't know that well. That type of reaction we got from his is just like him though there is a chance that he will get along with Arianna-san when he gets rid of that attitude and open himself with her to get to know her." He explained.

Hearing that, Marui couldn't help but smile. "I guess so. That's the brat of the Rikkai Dai tennis team for you! All he needs is a good spanking."

Hearing what he said, Yanagi sweatdropped because of the choice of word he used. "That's just taking it a bit too much." He said not realizing Yagyuu and Rie were already beside them.

Looking at the contented faces of Jackal and Marui, Yagyuu pushed up his glasses and gave a small smile. "I see that you guys have already discussed the unneeded behavior of Kirihara-kun?"

Marui nodded cheekily and glanced at Rie before inching closer to the regulars at the same time pushing them to the other side of the track leaving a good distance between them.

"What is this time?" Jackal asked.

"Hey," Marui whispered putting his hand on the side of his face making it seen as a sign of whispering. "Does Arianna-chan know about Kirihara's dislike towards her?"

Yagyuu looked at the boy for a moment before answering, "Yes she does"

Marui looked at him in surprise. "Then how does she feel about it?"

"I'm fine with it." Rie said looking ahead.

"Arianna-chan!" Marui blurted out in surprise. "Since when did you-"

"Three minutes ago" She answered. "You know, I can hear you even by the distance."

"EH!" Marui shouted doing weird gestures.. "Don't tell me you have bionic ears or something?"

"You just don't know that you were saying things out loud you know." Jackal intercepted before his doubles partner said anything unnecessary.

Yanagi looked at the silver haired girl in interest. "And may I ask why?"

Rie faced them. "This is something I'm used to. Being the new girl isn't always great. I'm used to this kind thing since this isn't the first time I've transferred schools."

Yanagi raised his brow at her answer. "I see, well that's good. We hope Akaya didn't offend your feelings and if that happens we apologize for his rude behavior."

"None taken at all." She replied nonchalantly. 'I've seen worse than what seaweed-san displayed anyway.'

"Out of the way!"

All of them looked behind them to see Niou running mad with another mad runner, Sanada. Those two seemed like they were having a chase which was actually very true. Sanada was and is STILL chasing Niou for believing that Kirihara was turning into such a bad influence because of him. It just goes to show that Sanada really cares for Kirihara despite his hard slaps to him. How sweet is that…

"In this way, the two of them will finish their laps even before us." Marui mumbled to himself.

-Time Break-

After the laps the regulars were all exhausted especially Rie since she wasn't used to doing laps. So here she was right now sitting on a bench near a shady tree watching the regulars take a short break.

"Here"

Rie looked to her left and saw a bottle of water thrown to her.

She opened her hands and caught it and just as it was about to rest in her hands it slipped and fell down.

Looking at the cold bottle of water on the ground, she sighed in irritation.

She quickly looked and saw some of the regulars trying to suppress a laugh while there some just had an indifferent face (coughSanadacough) and we can't forget that there was someone who kept a smirk on his face (cough*seaweed-san*cough). How embarrassing but hey, we're talking about Rie here. She should be used to this but something told her that this time was different.

She stood up and quickly picked up the fallen bottle of water and drank from it but not before muttering a small thanks to them and with that the regulars continued their training.

**Left…**

**Right…**

**Smash!**

Amazing was what Rie could only think of when she witnessed the training of the Rikkai Dai tennis team regulars. Their moves were very graceful yet agile at the same time. She was mesmerized with their movement. Who knew tennis could be like this?

Her uncovered eye was wide open, not wanting to miss a single motion similar in the way she used to observe her classmates from her old school but this time it was totally different. This time, she wasn't observing them to understand them no definitely not, right now she was a mere first year middle school student watching a wonderful match of tennis.

"Game to Yukimura 6-2!" Jackal announced between the match of their tennis captain and datamaster.

Yukimura looked like he didn't even brake a sweat while Yanagi was panting a lot from exhaustion but nonetheless he was contented. He was able to collect new data from their team.

"Nice game, Renji." Yukimura said handing his friend a towel.

"Thanks, Buchou" Yanagi nodded and accepted the towel using it to wipe some sweat on his forehead.

Kirihara jumped up and grinned. "YATTA! WE'RE FINALLY DONE!"

Marui nodded his head. "Yeah, I suppose so but it's still early."

"We were excused from class." Yagyuu mentioned. "And we used the time left for club practice so we're done for the day." He said.

Marui and Niou blinked and looked at each other, 'Did I just hear him say we're cutting class? More importantly, did he just say he cut class? Has the world gone NUTs!'

The might student council president noticed the looks Marui and Niou were giving and he added, "How about we go back to class?"

CRASH!

Marui and Niou fell down. So much for the world going nuts...

Kirihara whined. "Can't we just go home already? After all we are EXCUSED!" and with that he slumped to the ground. "I'm tired already."

Yukimura smiled softly. "I suppose you're right about that Akaya but I think I have a better idea." His gaze never left the silver haired girl.

Sanada raised his brow in interest at Yukimura knowing what the blue haired boy was planning.

"So what do you think?" Yukimura faced the vice-captain.

Sanada closed his eyes. "Fine by me"

'Just what I needed.' He thought before facing the first year. "Arianna!"

From the bench, said freshman's head perked up to look at the smiling tennis captain. She tilted her head to the side as a sign of question.

Yukimura gestured for her to come over and she reluctantly did what she was told.

Yukimura kneeled down to her height and patted her head earning an annoyed glare from her and an irritated glare from Kirihara which was directed to her. She continued to get annoyed with what he was doing to her. She is definitely not a KID but her glare soon faded when Yukimura asked her something.

"Since we still have a lot of free time, would you like us to teach you tennis?" Yukimura asked.

They were all taken aback except for Sanada and Yanagi.

Rie looked at the tennis captain to look for any trick to his question and found no trace of any wrong to his question. So she could agree to this session.

Marui looked happier than ever. "Great! Buchou, can I be her mentor?" He kept pointing to himself with a cheeky grin.

"As long as she learns the basics." He said answering his question.

Marui jumped in glee and ran to Rie with another racket in his hand. "Here, you can borrow one of my rackets."

Rie looked at the racket and blinked. 'What the-'

"Now let's go to the courts and I'll teach you all the things you need to learn." The self-proclaimed tensai said.

"HEY WAIT A MINUTE!" Kirihara yelled.

'What now?' Niou sighed. 'Is he going to object?'

"THAT'S NOT YOUR RACKET! IT'S MINE!"

"No it's not!" Marui snapped back. "There's no proof this is yours!"

Kirihara slapped his forehead. "Look at it! That's one of the rackets I put my name at!"

Marui looked at the racket closely. "I see no initials in it!"

"THE GRIP! THE GRIP! THE-GRIP!"

"Huh?"…"Oh…"

On the grip of the racket were the words "P. (for property) of Kirihara Akaya!" in bold letterings and then after it were smaller letterings that said. "Do not touch!"

"Oh" How can he miss something as obvious as that?

Jackal sighed.

Why did Kirihara had to overreact so much because of just one racket and why was his doubles partner so…idiotic? "Can't you just let her borrow your racket?"

Kirihara crossed his arms over his chest. "Hell no! As if I'd let a baka onna like her touch one of my rackets and let her gross girl germs touch my racket!"

Gross girl germs? Akaya…you've been reading too much…kiddy books again, haven't you?

"And worst of all her cooties might be contagious!" Kirihara shouted. "A baka onna's cooties are the worst!"

Cooties?

Rie felt her eye twitched and she grabbed the nearest thing near her and threw it at Kirihara.

"OUCH!" Kirihara rubbed his head.

Unfortunately, the nearest thing she threw at him was his racket and it hurt…A LOT.

"Shut up," She said glaring at the older boy. "I won't stand being insulted especially by a spoiled and seaweed-haired boy such as you."

Kirihara was taken aback by what she said and so their glaring contest began.

"This is not good." Yagyuu commented shaking his head from left to right.

"You're just a seaweed-haired idiot!"

"And you're better off having training with your manual of "Tennis for dumb stupid girls" with your lolicon of a mentor!"

"HEY!" Marui shouted. "That is so not true!"

"SHUT UP!" Kirihara yelled at him.

"Eep" Marui mumbled to himself surprised.

"Definitely not good…" Yanagi said. 'Take note, change Kirihara's info about his sanity and age maturity…again.'

-Page Break-

After their glaring contest it was decided that Rie would just borrow one of Niou's extra rackets and were finally near the courts to teach her to play tennis.

"Okay, so first of all roll your sleeves up to your arms." Marui said looking straight at Rie's long sleeves that reached almost the end of her hands. "After that, try practicing your swings until you get the hang of it."

Rie nodded and started her swings until she got used to it.

"So far so good" Yanagi said.

"I just hope this continues." Yukimura said in a low tone not wanting anybody else to hear him. 'Or else my plan wouldn't work.'

Looking back at the court, Rie was about done with her swings while Marui was already holding a tennis ball and a box full of tennis balls was already beside her.

"Now, I'm going to teach you how to serve." Marui said readying himself in a stance. "Follow my example"

Rie saw his movements and nodded. So all she had to do was throw the ball upwards and hit it and make it hit on the other side of the court. 'Easier said than done'

She threw the ball up and swung the racket, expecting to feel the impact of the ball to the racket but nothing came. No impact and more importantly, she didn't even hit anything.

One word

**Missed**

Marui blinked and smiled. "Don't worry, it's your first time, you'll get the hang of it."

She grabbed another ball and did the same action.

**MISSED**

Another ball

**MISSED**

Another ball

**MISSED**

"HA HA HA!" Kirihara laughed. "She can't even serve!" He continued to laugh only to get a whack in the head by Sanada.

"Ouch" He said with his face down low.

"This is getting longer than what an average beginner's serve is." Yanagi said. "Maybe it's because of her eyepatch that she's having some difficulty?"

"Probably so, but Marui should have already noticed that." Yukimura watched the training continue with interest. 'Let's she see what she can really do.'

"Arianna-chan, don't you think it's better if you take of that eyepatch?" Marui asked as the girl had missed another ball.

Her eyes widened when she heard what the red head asked as she hit the ball for the first time although it wasn't able to reach the other side of the net.

Marui's bubble gum popped as he saw she hit the ball for the first time. A smile slowly crept to his face and he gave her a thumbs-up.

The silver haired girl was holding her covered eye and gave a small faint smile when she was given a thumbs-up.

They continued their practice and each ball she served moved closer to the net and until she reached the other side of the net. It was a small progress but it was a start.

And let's not forget that each serve she made there were side-comments Kirihara would always say that really gets on her nerves until she couldn't take it anymore and unknowingly aimed her serve to Kirihara.

**SMACK!**

Oops…

She looked at where her ball hit and her eye twitched.

Her ball had hit Niou instead of her target, Kirihara who was like very far away from him.

"Why, Arianna-chan" Niou asked as his head was face down. "Why me?"

Rie looked at him and bowed. "Sorry, I was aiming that ball at Seaweed-san not you." She said not caring she stated her true intentions.

Marui gave a low whistle. "Hey, at least she was able to hit the ball in farther distance although you should have served the ball to the other side of the court."

"THAT WAS NOT OKAY! SHE TRIED TO HIT ME! AND SHE EVEN ADMITTED IT!"

Rie faced her mentor and held another ball in her hand. "Can I try aiming again?"

"Sure" Marui grinned.

"WHAT DI-!"

DUCK!

**SMASH!**

"Stop i-!" Kirihara yelled.

DUCK!

**SMASH!**

"I MEAN IT!'

DUCK

**SMASH!**

Rie stomped her feet. "Why does this keep happening again and again?" She asked but with her façade still on.

Everytime she tried to aim the ball it always had the same result, Niou was the one who got hit! How is that even possible? She was trying hard to aim it at the person who kept insulting her and the one who always got hit was a completely innocent person (in her view).

"Justice is served." Sanada muttered as he looked at the poor trickster. (O_o)

"Maybe we should stop this." Yagyuu said. "It would be hard for us and Niou-kun if he gets injured because of head trauma."

Yukimura shook his head. "That's not needed. There's still something I want to see."

"What? Niou actually get a head trauma?" Jackal asked looking surprised.

"No" Yukimura said. "There's still one more thing, I want to see."

'I need to see it so I can put it into action.' He thought.

"Wow, you're improving greatly, Arianna-chan…that is when you want to aim your ball at someone but that's still improving." Marui said nervously not sure whether it was bad or good.

"Just one more and I'm done." She said aiming once more.

**SMASH!**

Kirihara looked to the ground on his right side and saw the ball aimed at him.

So close…

"Missed" Rie said resting the racket over her shoulder. "Again..."

"ARIANNA-CHAN!" Marui shouted jumping over the net and glomped the girl in a hug. "You did it!"

"But I missed." She muttered.

"Still, that was a fast ball for a beginner like you. Maybe you should get mad whenever you play tennis." He joked.

"No freaking way!" Kirihara and Niou yelled for obviously different reasons.

'Only when I see that seaweed head's face.' She thought.

"Don't forget that I'm going to treat you to cake, right?" Marui said.

Rie blinked and looked up at Marui.

Marui stood up straight. "Ok! Next destination, the CAFÉ! And today's Jackal's treat!"

Immediately, the part Brazilian tennis player yelled, "How come I'm going to pay!"

Marui waved it off with a laugh and continued hugging the dazed girl.

"Oy, Akaya" Marui called.

Kirihara looked at the red head. "What?"

"Wanna come? It's Jackal's treat~"

"Sure, whatever" Kirihara said getting his things.

"See you tomorrow guys." Marui said leaving the school gates already with his companions.

"Well I shall also take my leave and I still have to assist Niou-kun home because of his headache right now." Yagyuu said assisting the trickster on their way home.

And with that, Yanagi, Sanada and Yukimura were left.

"Tell me, Yukimura, what was your true reason for teaching Arianna-san tennis?" Yanagi asked.

"That's a secret." Yukimura said

He once again looked to the tennis courts and smiled. 'Arianna Rie'

'You passed. Welcome to the Rikkai Dai Tennis Team.'

* * *

Hey, I'm back, how have you been? This has got to be the longest chapter I've made for this fan-fic yet. And sorry for the wait, for the last weeks I attended some activities at school and I have to attend training in School during the middle of our summer break even though it's not summer class, it's worse, it's even harder than summer class.

**What is Yukimura planning for Rie? Why was she welcomed to the Rikkai Dai Tennis team? **

**And will Niou ever get rid of the head trauma?**

**Which rival school do you want to appear on the next chapter? Write your answer on the reviews.**

**Seigaku**

**Hyoutei**

**St. Rudolph**

**Fudomine**

**Rokkaku**

**Please review!**

**Just hit this little green button over here!**

**CrimsonLinkx: And I'll be here giving you guys bats to use to hit the cute green button~**


	6. Tennis rivals and Cookies

Hey, it's me with a new chapter! Hope you guys like it!

Anyway, sorry for the long wait I was at the summer capital of the country where I live and wao...was it memorable. I suffered from a severe stomach ache and my relatives told me I had food poisoning. Ugh...

Well, I'd like to thank the readers who who reviewed the last chapter. You guys ROCK!

**Shitenhouji Chuu**

**Fadey**

**djhAmystery**

**chillybean**

**livingtodream**

**Lotrfan1232**

**xKurenaiBara**: Yeah, I understand how you feel, hope the teacher isn't already giving you hard questions.

I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS!

* * *

Looking up at the bright sun, the junior ace of the Rikkai Tennis team couldn't help but feel excited. One, it was the weekend right now. Two, he was at the local tennis courts with the other tennis regulars having training and fun at the same time although the main reason he was jumping for joy was because there was no topaz eyed, silver haired baka onna around.

The weird and quiet Arianna Rie was not around to tort- *coughs* I mean annoy the one and only Kirihara Akaya.

He could practically dance around the whole tennis court because of this with very awkward dance steps that could make him gain weird looks form other tennis players at the court right now. Fortunately, Sanada was there or else he'll be suffering a lot of slaps and laps from him and maybe even from their captain for giving a bad name to their reputation which is a word, Yanagi had pointed out, Kirihara has yet to learn.

I know you guys were wondering why in the world the whole tennis team regulars were at the local tennis courts when they could be at their enormous tennis courts at their school training. Well, my answer is very simple: Niou happened.

Yes, the silver haired trickster did a prank again...a prank that went overboard…again.

And to make a very long explanation short, this is what happened.

The whole tennis court of Rikkai Dai Fuzoku was forbidden to be used by the 'Plant Mutation Committee' because of the sudden appearance of yellow and red colors on the field near and inside the tennis courts. Looks like Niou was able to formulate some sort of paint that gives the substance it touches, the given colors and make it look sick…like what the 'Plant Mutation Society' thought it was and again…Niou's prank had gone overboard…way too much.

_Flashback_

"What the hell happened here?"Marui yelled looking at the tennis courts. 'Almost the whole field is covered with the color red and yellow!'

Kirihara who was behind Marui also looked shock. "Who the hell did this?" He snapped and turned his head towards a certain freshman.

"You did this didn't you?" He growled.

Rie looked at him in confusion.

He grabbed her arm and forcefully pulled her towards the field. "Look at this!"

Rie blinked. "It's red and yellow."

"YES I AM VERY MUCH AWARE THAT IT'S RED AND YELLOW!" He yelled. "Now do something about it!"

"How? It's not my fault." She said looking at the second year.

"What do you mean it's not you-"

"What's going here?" Yukimura asked walking towards the three with the rest of the regulars behind him.

"Yeah" Jackal muttered scratching his head. "What's with the noise here, Akaya?"

"Don't tell me Rie-san did something to get on your nerves again now?" Yanagi asked but soon stopped on his tracks as he saw the strange colors on the fields of the tennis court. "W-what"

Along with Yagyuu the other regulars also stopped in their tracks and stared at the field in shock.

"See Buchou? The baka onna did this!" Kirihara whined. "Told you she wasn't a good person!" He said and then stuck out his tongue towards said girl.

Marui slapped his forehead. "Is he honestly going to take over as the next captain of the Rikkai Dai tennis team after we graduate?"

Yanagi sighed. "Unfortunately, yes…"

"Hey!" Kirihara yelled. "What does that mean?"

Marui faced the yelling second year. "Nothing…we were just talking on how someone as mature as yourself will handle the next generation of Rikkai tennis members."

"Oh" Kirihara blinked. "Well of course I'm very mature AHAHAHA!" Kirihara laughed.

"In the opposite way of course." Niou muttered.

"HEY!" Kirihara yelled. "For your information I am very mature and besides the culprit who did that," He jerked his thumb towards the fields. "is the baka onna!"

'You're the baka around here…' They all thought in unison.

Rie raised a brow in amusement and put her hands on her waist. "Wow…I'm surprised you were able to solve this case. Congratulations" She said with a hint of humor.

"See?" Kirihara said to his teammates. "She's guilty!"

"Oh yeah…" She trailed of looking to her side. "and pigs suddenly gain magical wings and manage to fly and you got squished by one of those flying pigs."

Marui and Niou chuckled.

"Why you…" Kirihara growled. "It's not you, isn't it?"

"You just realized that?" Jackal asked.

Kirihara blushed and folded his arms over his chest letting out a small 'Che'.

"Yep he just realized it." Marui said slapping his forehead once again.

"Then who could've done it?" Jackal asked.

"Kekeke…" A creepy laugh was heard gaining their attention. "I think we know who the culprit is... Ke kekeke"

"Who's there?" Yukimura narrowed his eyes turning his head towards where the laugh was coming from.

"Kekeke… I am very glad that you asked that question. I am none other than the great Mizuhiro Aki!" Said a boy with messy black hair who was wearing a lab outfit.

'What the-' Kirihara thought.

"Then are you the ones who did it?" Yukimura asked.

"We'll be able to answer your questions once all of my friends arrive." Aki answered. "Kekeke…"

Then appeared a boy who was wearing a pair of very thick glasses and looked like he was a junior. "And I am the ever handsome and charming Hashiro Dei!" He shouted and winked at Rie.

Rie suddenly got cold. 'Why is it that I'm feeling like someone is looking at me. A very lame person…'

'So lame.' Marui thought.

'Retards' Niou thought.

"Sexual harassment" Kirihara pointed out. "I hope he's the last one."

Sadly he's not.

"Oy, don't forget me about you fools!" Said another boy. He was wearing a lab coat the same as the other two have. "Sorry to make you guys wait." He said in a 'not-so-charming' voice. "I am the genius of the three, Yoji Akiyo!"

The two other idiots immediately looked at the newcomer in awe. "How can we forget you, oh great teacher?" They cried with tears in their eyes.

The junior suddenly pumped his fist up in the air. "Now the three of us are now together. Let's show them who the real popular students are!"

"TA DA!" They shouted in unison.

Marui and Niou suddenly felt nauseous.

'Ultimate retards' Kirihara thought. 'Three idiots doing those things… Even the baka onna is way better than them.'

'99.99% lame and 0.01% sensible people' Yanagi thought.

'That's just wrong.' Jackal thought. 'In so many ways'

The three idiots did a very stupid pose that resembles the pose of the power rangers…a lot, complete with the VERY long and unneeded introduction.

"An organization that studies the activities of abnormal plants!"

"An organization that keeps the people safe from the monstrous mutations of plants!"

"An organization that makes all the ladies crazy before our presence!"

"Together…WE ARE THE-"

"The Association of Stupid Scientists!" Rie said pointing her finger towards them.

"YES WE ARE THE ASSOCIATION OF STUPID SCIENTISTS!" They said with pride.

Silence…

"WAIT THAT WAS WRONG!"

"Hm…the Assocation of Stupid Scientists, right? Interesting initials" Yukimura mused.

Niou looked at their captain. 'Initials? A.S.S?'

"A.S.S?" Marui thought out loud. "HAHAHA! THAT'S A NAME THAT CERTAINLY FITS YOU GUYS WELL!"

"YEAH A NAME THAT SUITS PEOPLE LIKE YOU!"

"YOU GUYS ARE MAKING A VERY BIG MISTAKE!" The trio yelled. "WE ARE THE-"

"The Association of Weird Perverts"

"YES…WAIT I MEAN NO!" They stomped their feet. "FOR PETE'S SAKE, WE ARE THE PLANT MUTATION SOCIETY!"

"So you're guys are now P.M.S?" Niou thought out loud. "The initials sounds very…disturbing."

"THEN STOP THINKING ABOUT IT!" They yelled. "We are the Plant Mutation Society! PERIOD."

Marui started waving his hand in shooing gesture. "But that name is too long and too troublesome. P.M.S is good enough."

"No wonder, you guys don't have too many members." Niou smirked. "I've been hearing of a club that studies strange plants but I didn't think it was real."

"AARGH!"

Kirihara jumped up. "Senpai-tachi, I think they're PMSing right now."

"SILENCE!"

"NO, THE THREE OF YOU SHOULD SHUT THE HELL UP!" Sanada yelled making all of them stop from their argument.

'Fuku-buchou?' Kirihara gulped as he looked at the fuming vice-captain.

Sanada was WAY pissed off.

"Now," Sanada started. "state your reason for coming here." He demanded.

The regulars save Yukimura cringed at the tone in Sanada's voice. They only heard this tone of his when he was scolding one of them because of poor performance and they were even more surprised when they saw the people of the "Plant Mutation Society" or as they like to call PMS only had on a neutral look.

They didn't know whether it was their imagination or not but they knew they saw a glint in their eyes when Sanada asked that.

Akiyo smirked and started twirling some strands of his hair. "Well the reason is of course very obvious, Sanada-san."

"Kekeke…we are here to analyze the strange thing that has happened here on the fields of the tennis courts…kekekeke" Aki said creepily.

"Like hell we'd let you!"

Marui, Niou, Kirihara were about to smack the three when the boy wearing glasses, Dei started moving his pointing finger left and right. "Too late"

Dei and Aki were holding some long yellow plastic bands with the words imprinted "KEEP OUT!" on it. "Look for yourselves"

All the regulars turned their heads to the entrance to the tennis courts to only see that it was shut closed with those yellow plastics covering it everywhere!

Oh was Sanada pissed. He cracked his knuckled ready to beat a whole lot of sense into those three.

He stepped forward and glared katanas at them. Daggers would be put to shame compared to his dangerous glares.

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO DO THIS." He stated.

Akiyo smirked. "Oh but we do, thanks to the principal's approval of course." He showed a paper showing the principal's signature approving the trio to analyze the tennis courts.

'Why?'

Well of course, the principal only did it because the three had nothing better to do than wreck their beautiful garden into one of their weird experiments.

"Kekeke… We can't let such an opportunity to pass." Aki said and in his hands were strange devices. "We can't let such opportunity go away without us doing an experiment on it." He said with a creepy glint in his eyes.

"He's crazy." Kirihara muttered to Niou and Marui who both nodded.

"Well with this conversation done, I guess we still have to go back to business." Their leader said walking past by the tennis regulars.

"See you guys later." Aki said walking towards their leader.

Dei winked at Rie and also left. "See you later, girly."

They all went to their stupid experiment unaware of the dark aura that was coming out of two students, Sanada and Rie. I think you all know the reason why.

_Flashback ends_

And that's what happened.

Niou shuddered at the unexpected even that had happened. He may have done the trick but he ssure did not expect the P.M.S showing up. He was sure that the team was pretty much pissed on what happened and he was sure that event will be glued to their heads for a very long time even if they did not like it…AT ALL.

But he was sure their buchou knew he was the one who did it and boy…he was so sure he was going to suffer a whole week for this. Their buchou is a very well-known sadist and who knows what he'll do to him.

He may not be so sure about this but he had a feeling Arianna knew he was the one who did it but she kept her mouth shut, which he was thankful for, because their fukubuchou was already emitting flames of rage at the moment which was very visible to those who have eyes. Heck, she was even sweating from the "FLAMES OF HELL" he was radiating from his body. He had a clue Sanada had a hint but he was too caught up in his annoyance that he didn't bother to notice it. He was definitely MAD. Oh joy…

The P.M.S group or whatever you guys are…go to HELL.

* * *

"Game to Yanagi-Kirihara pair 6 games to 4!" Jackal said.

"YATTA!" Kirihara yelled juming up and gave his opponents a V sign for victory.

"Che" Niou said looking to the side swinging his racket on top of his shoulder. "You just got lucky."

'Besides, we would've won if I weren't just too bothered with Sanada's constant rage.'

"But that's not what the match said!" Kirihara stuck out his tongue.

"Brat" Niou said and went to the benches to drink some cold water and try to ignore Sanada's aura of rage. "We would've have won if I just wasn't too concerned about my safety."

His doubles partner for this match, Jackal was confused. 'What's with Niou's sudden change? He's supposed to usually prank either one of us right now. Like last time with what he did with Bunta.' He then looked towards the direction of Sanada and gulped nervously. 'He must've been too distracted by fuku-buchou's rage right now.'

Yukimura sighed and rubbed his temples. He wasn't really into the plan of training here in the street tennis courts because of the fact other tennis teams of other schools might spy on them and he didn't want that to happen especially since the Nationals are coming soon.

He looked around the place and raised his brow. That's odd… As far as he could remember the tennis courts here were usually crowded but now, they were the only ones here right now. That's weird… He turned to face their vice-captain only to momentarily stop as he saw the 'flames of hell', that Rie had kindly pointed out, radiating from Sanada.

"Sanada," Yukimura called snapping Sanada from his anger. "I'm going to go around and take a look at the other tennis courts. Something doesn't seem right."

Sanada's eyes widened for a bit before nodding. "I'll look after a team."

With that, Yukimura checked out the other courts to go look around leaving Sanada to look after the rest of the team.

The stoic vice-captain was a bit relieved the team was not too noisy. Or so he thought.

"GET BACK HERE BRAT!"

"YANAGI-SEMPAI! HELP!" Kirihara yelled running behind the data master's back for safety. "I TOLD YOU IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!"

"LIKE HELL I'M GONNA BELIEVE YOU!"

A drenched Niou ran after the yelling kouhai shouting somethings about a 'porcupine idiot' and 'it was all an accident.' or something like that. It seems like Niou had gotten an early 'bath' thanks to Kirihara. The junior was just drinking a bottle of water when he noticed that their buchou was walking away and that he didn't notice that he was slowly losing grip of his bottle until it fell down, spilling its contents to the person below him who by chance was none other than the trickster, Niou.

Marui was laughing really loud as he saw the two run around the courts like a idiots. They were like a cat and a mouse. Akaya jumped over the net while Niou wasn't too lucky as he tripped and fell face down on the hard floor. Ouch.

"IT WASN'T MY FAULT!" Kirihara shouted.

"AKAYA! NIOU!" Sanda called making the two said boys wince. "Stop it. Now! Niou, go change into your spare clothes and Akaya, keep quiet and don't let yourself get distracted!"

"Hai" The two shouted in unison as Niou quickly went to the bench where his bag was lying and took out his spare clothes and dashed away but stopped midway when he realized something. "Can somebody tell me where the restroom?" He asked sheepishly.

Yagyuu sighed and gave him the directions.

"Okay, gotta go!" Niou dashed away to the rest room. "See you guys later…and you too brat" He said with wicked smirk towards making Kirihara gulp slightly with the threat.

"I would've been glad if he said thanks." Yagyuu said getting a towel.

"But this is Niou" Marui raised a brow. "he's like the total opposite of who you want him to be or the total gentleman you are."

'Bastard bushy rat tail hair.' Kirihara thought.

He may be seen as an idiot by almost the whole campus (even his fanclub but they all ogle him) but even he isn't that dumb enough to say that out loud or else he'll be spending the next two weeks in Niou's kingdom of hell…or worsen the things the trickster was about to do to him and even he doesn't want to know what he'll do to him.

Kirihara shuddered from the thoughts going through his mind on what'll Niou will do to him. He could already enumerate twenty-one and the rest were absolutely horrible.

'Huh?' Kirihara's ears heard faint sounds of other people besides themselves having a match. He smirked. Looks like he was going to have some fun and he left inconspicuously and let his ears trace the location of the match. The others didn't even notice he left.

* * *

In another court, a certain senior with droopy eyes caught a scent that he couldn't ever miss. 'This smell…it's…it's…HIS!' Boy does he have a strong sense of smell or what?

Catching the sweet scent, the boy jumped up and down in glee. "Oh boy! He's here! He's here! He's here!" He started clapping his hands like a child who got a very big lollipop as a gift earning the stares of his companions.

'What's got him so pumped up this time?' A tall boy with deep blue hair wondered. 'Yare, yare, this too troublesome.'

He didn't have time to even think again when the over excited teen started running to a random direction who in the process, dragged him which caused a chain of 'dragging the person nearest to you in an attempt to stop the over excited teen' which of course, miserably failed and I do mean MISERABLY failed because in this process, there were yelling and screaming.

Oh boy…this could only mean one thing…

* * *

Meanwhile, back with the Rikkai Dai regulars, our favorite sugar addict suddenly got a sudden chill on his spine as he felt a very familiar presence as well. Unfortunately, the latter didn't take it too well as much as the other one. On the contrary, he absolutely hated it. HATED. IT.

Niou seemed to notice his discomfort and smiled slyly. "Looks like someone's 'obsessive fanboy awareness signal' is tingling…" He teased nudging Marui on the shoulders.

"So you mean he's here?" Jackal asked.

The trickster started to cackle. "Who else? Who else in this world has a very unhealthy obsession with him to the point in where he formulated his volley attacks from him? Who else has a box full of Marui's matches in DVDs? And of course who else, has a plushie toy that was made to look like him?"

Niou snickered and slapped his doubles partner on the shoulder. "Can't you help but feel sorry for the poor ball of fat?"

Yagyuu glared at his rude doubles partner but nonetheless sighed. "…Yeah…"

Marui Bunta can accept that fact, that he had a fanboy but having a fanboy that has a human size and a small teddy bear sized plushie of him was WAY out of the question. But how the hell did Niou found out about that? That was supposed to be a secret.

Snapping out of his trance, Marui mouthed out two words that described what he felt right now.

"Oh…shit"

Niou smirked. "This is going to be fun." And yes, he was going to enjoy every single bit of the red head's state right now. "Oy, you ball of fat!"

"What?"

"Say cheese!"

CLICK!

Damn…you, Niou

* * *

"Saa, I wonder how Bunta will react when he finds out his number one fanboy is here in Kanagawa?" Yukimura mused. "Oh well," He faced the person beside him carrying two plastics full of cold mineral water bottles. He would have carried those two plastics instead but the person insisted or in that person's case just continued on walking towards their destination, to the street tennis courts. "Shall we quicken our pace?" He asked.

He smiled when he received a nod.

* * *

"MARUI! MARUI! MARUI!" Hyoutei's volley specialist yelled throughout the courts as he excitedly searched for his idol.

Oshitari sighed at the sight their teammate was causing, and being the cool and calm person he was, he faced the Rikkai Dai regulars. "I'm sorry for his actions."

"Oh no" Niou smirked. "You don't have to apologize…in fact, We-Yagyuu elbowed him on the chest- Ouch…I mean, I should actually be thanking you instead, thanks to your volley specialist over there, we saw Bunta running around like an idiot trying to hide someplace where he couldn't find him."

"Um…yes…" Jackal looked to his side uncomfortably remembering the scene the red head caused a while ago. "He first tried to hide behind the trashcan but then decided to hide somewhere else instead for safety precautions…as not to re-enact what happened last time he encountered Akutagawa-san."

Yanagi nodded his head. "He even said that he'd rather do suicide with all of his sweets than to experience what happened to him the last time. 'Which was seven months, five days and fifteen minutes ago to be exact.'

Sanada observed the Hyoutei regulars. "Why are you here?" He demanded. He was not very pleased with other rival schools interrupting their training session and he also did not like the idea about hearing another one Atobe's annoying speeches about his great prowess. He did not like it and nor does he want hear that pompous voice of his.

"Ask that egoistic diva" Shishido said. "We don't even know a single thing on why did he even bring us here in the first place."

Sanada gritted his teeth.

"By the way, where is he anyway?" Gakuto asked looking around.

Indeed, the acrobatic player was right. Where in the world did that Atobe go now?

Their questions were soon answered as Atobe showed up on of the benches on the third floor with his ever loyal 'bodyguard'/ childhood friend, Kabaji, who was carrying a bouquet of roses.

"Ore-sama no bigi ni yoi na" He smirked as he descended down the stairs with Kabaji following him and as he descended down the stairs, Kabaji kept plucking rose petals off of the flowers and let it fall down on the path Atobe walked on…for special effects and to let his 'charming and powerful' ore-sama ego grow even bigger.

"You!" Shishido yelled at the diva. "What's with the flower-y entrance."

Atobe flicked some of his hair and smirked. "Ore-sama does not like his spotlight being taken away so Ore-sama made a clever way to make an entrance to lighten the situation you commoners stand in right now."

Shishido felt that their captain shouldn't have even answered his question and instead made the vein that popped on his forehead throb even worse. "So to say, you just wanted to have a flashy entrance."

Atobe snapped his fingers, showing he was pleased with his answer. "Very good, Shishido. It seems that being with Ore-sama has been very beneficial to your intellect. Ore-sama has once again showed why every fellow students should look up to him as a role model, right Kabaji?"

"Usu"

'Or affect their stress level to an increasingly high level.' Oshitari added in his mind rubbing his temples watching their kouhai and Shishido's doubles partner, Ootori try to calm down the fuming dash specialist.

"Ore-sama is higher than any of you commoners."

Sanada, with no kind and sweet Kouhai to stop and calm him down was already burning in rage.

"Atobe!" He roared. "Leave this instant and get out of my sight!"

Everyone present except for Atobe covered their ears from the loud outburst of Sanada.

Atobe pretended like he didn't even heard anything and just yawned. "And what if Ore-sama doesn't want to? Besides, Ore-sama has also come here to look around and train."

"And since, I'm already here," Atobe continued looking at the fukubuchou of Rikkai Dai. "And I've found you here as well, let's have a match."

"I refuse." Sanada replied immediately.

"Come on now, that gruff face of yours will only make you look older as you look now." Atobe smirked.

"I still refuse."

"Then this match will decide who is more superior."

Sanada snorted. "Someone of your level won't be able to defeat me."

Atobe chuckled at this. "How are you so sure now? Why decline a match with Ore-sama when you're sure it won't waste your time, ahn?"

"You're still as cocky as ever, ne Atobe?"

"Well of course, Ore-sama is the greatest." Atobe said. "People who decline a match with Ore-sama aren't in their right mind, you know or maybe it's because you're afraid to lose, ahn?"

Sanda glared at the smirking diva and grunted. "I accept but there is no doubt that someone like you will be beaten."

"Let's see about that."

* * *

Yukimura looked to the person behind him. "How did you know Niou was the one who did 'it'?"

"I know someone who is very interested in the fields of art and that person taught me a lot of things when I was a kid. So from my experience it was really easy for me to distinguish the texture between a textile paint and some rare yellow-orange fungus."

Yukimura nodded.

"And besides" the person added. "I heard from some bypassing seniors that there was a student who was experimenting on some paint and other stuffs to make it look like a rash or something which I guessed was him and he only made my guess correct from what happened."

Yukimura nodded. "I have heard those rumors as well but I didn't think that he was going to do _that_. So far, only me, you and Renji know that he was the one who did it. Genichiro was too caught up in his rage to have noticed it."

The person looked up to only see the 'Child of God' smile…but that smile looked too angelic to be true. This was a smile of pure _evil. _Oh boy…

"Niou, next practice, you'll see hell."

* * *

The Rikkaid Dai regulars and Hyoutei regulars sat on the benches and all of them were anxious on what the outcome will be. A match between two of the best tennis players in the nation is something rare and something to definitely look forward to. A match between Hyoutei's tennis team captain, Atobe Keigo and Rikkai Dai's tennis team vice-captain, Sanada Genichirou. Who will win?

Atobe was to serve and everytime he bounced the tennis ball the atmosphere around them grew thicker.

GULP

"Try to return this!" Atobe yelled, a small glint visible in his eyes.

"Leave us alone!"

"What? I only asked for a match."

"And I refuse!"

Atobe missed his serve and a small vein popped in his head.

"Fault"

Atobe tried to serve again…but failed again when the noises suddenly became louder.

"Double fault! Love-Fifteen" _A vein popped._

"SHUT UP!" _popped!_

"NO YOU SHUT UP!" _popped!_

"WOULD YOU TWO JUST KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT?" Atobe yelled at the two.

All of the regulars looked at the direction where the Hyoutei captain was shouting at only to see Kirihara and two people they didn't expect to see in Kanagawa, Ibu Shinji and Kamio Akira of Fudomine.

Noticing the blue haired sighing, they could tell that the rhythm tennis player and the Devil of Rikkai Dai were in an argument, probably because of Kirihara.

"Kamio-san?"

"Oh, it's you guys." Kamio looked at them for a while before glaring back again at the black haired boy. "Just leave us alone, will you?"

"If we have a match." Kirihara replied nonchalantly much to Kamio's dismay.

Yanagi sighed, noticing the red head's growing ire. He walked up to the curly haired boy and gave him a good hit on the head.

"Ouch!"

"What was that for?" Kirihara yelled rubbing his head. "What did I do?"

"You were clearly disturbing on what would become a good match."

Kirihara blinked in confusion. "What do you mean by that? I was only asking him," He jerked his thumb towards Kamio. "for a match."

"And I refuse" Kamio replied getting a glare from Kirihara.

"It just shows you're a chicken."

"Why you-" Kamio said tightening his hand into a fist but a hand stopped him. "Ibu"

"Stop, Tachibana-san wouldn't want you to get in a fight." He said. "Besides, it will be too troublesome if you did get in a fight and I'll have to stop you and Tachibana-san would scold me on why I didn't try to stop you…" He continued to mumble.

Kamio sighed and gave one last glare to Kirihara before moving besides the mumbling boy.

"Tarudoru, Akaya!" Sanada yelled.

Yanagi nodded. "Indeed, it was really not needed of you to start a fight, Akaya."

Akaya crossed his arms over his chest. "I only wanted a match."

"Apologize" Yanagi said.

"But-"

"Apologize" This time Yagyuu was the one who said it. "It is very improper of a gentleman to not apologize if he has done something wrong, Kirihara-kun."

Kirihara turned away with his back facing Kamio. He turned his head a bit to face him. "Sorry" He said hesitantly.

Niou grinned and walked over to the junior and ruffled his hair. "Aw…the brat's all pouty now."

Kirihara grumbled and smacked his hand away. "No I'm not!"

Niou grinned maniacally and whispered in his ear. "Don't worry. You will be when I'm done with my latest trick on you." He said making the junior move back and hid behind Jackal.

Back at the courts, Atobe's eye was twitching nonstop because his match was stopped and he was ignored. 'How dare they ignore Ore-sama…'

"It seems you guys are already getting along now." A voice chuckled.

"NO WE ARE- Buchou!" Kirihara shouted surprised by their captain's appearance. "You're back!" He smiled.

Yukimura nodded. "Yes I am and I have brought someone here as well." He said moving aside to show the guest only to make Kirihara's eyes widened.

"Baka-onna!" He pointed to Rie. "You're alive!" He yelled making the girl raise her brow.

She decided to ignore what the seaweed-head just said and looked around to see people she didn't know. 'Probably students from other tennis teams' She thought noticing that all of them were carrying tennis bags. She wondered if she should've wore her school uniform instead of what she was wearing which was a green tank top hidden behind a blue jacket with sleeves that seemed too long for her considering it almost reached the end of her hands, and a pair of pedal pants but she shrugged the idea off. It was her choice anyway.

'An eyepatch?' Those who didn't know the girl thought. 'Must be some issues.'

"Yo Rie-chan!" Niou waved. Yagyuu and Jackal greeted her while the others nodded their heads at her.

Rie greeted them back in respect then she faced the glaring junior. "Seaweed-san" She greeted.

"I'm not a seaweed-head!" He yelled at her only to get zero progress.

"Sorry seaweed-san" _popped!_

Rie looked around and noticed one of her senpais is missing. "Where is Marui-senpai?" She asked only to be answered by a glomp from none other than the red-head himself. "Arianna-chan!"

"Marui!" Jirou yelled in glee. "You're here!"

"Crap" He muttered under his breath making the only girl look up at him. He immediately hid behind her in an attempt to hide himself as the curly haired boy ran towards him. "Arianna-chan, help me!"

Too bad, Niou quickly pulled Rie away, so the barrier separating him and Jirou disappear. "She's too innocent to see the horror of fanboyism." He remarked pulling her.

'I don't think there is such a thing as fanboyism.' Jackal sweatdropped. 'He only did for amusement.'

Poor Marui…

Just as Marui thought he was going to be glomped to oblivion, a voice saved him, "Jirou, Ore-sama orders you to stop."

With that order, Jirou stopped. "Eh? How come?" He cried.

Atobe rubbed his temples. "Ore-sama does not wish to remember what happened the last time nor see it happen again. You nearly killed your idol in a very…very embarrassing way that Ore-sama does's want to recall." He said making all of the Hyoutei and Rikkai regulars nod while the Fudomine regulars and Rie wondered what it could be.

Marui noticed their looks and gave them a pale face. "It's a long…painful story"

"And a good blackmail material too" Niou added. "puri"

"I see you guys have made friends with a girl." Oshitari smirked. "Not a fangirl perhaps?"

Rie shivered and pretended to throw up when she heard the 'fangirl'. "Ugh…"

Atobe was amused with the girl. She may not be a fangirl but nobody can ever reject Ore-sama's charm. He flicked his bangs and walked up to the girl and gave her his most charming smile. "Ore-sama is honored to see such a cute maiden here of all the places." He said putting his right hand on his chest. "It must be fate." He smiled.

"He's killing her." Gakuto murmured to his doubles partner. "She's going to die."

Rie looked at him oddly, she couldn't quite understand why there were suddenly roses picturing him and there were pink bubbled surrounding him. She shuddered. Of all the color it had to be pink! Pink! And here she thought men hated that color. Oh well…the world is changing might as well the inhabitants too.

"Pathetic" She simply said, a word that was so foreign to the diva.

_Pathetic_

Atobe felt an arrow stab his chest. _PANG!_

"Weird" She added. _PANG!_

"Idiotic" _PANG! _

Atobe clutched his chest in a painful manner. Thunders suddenly appeared behind him to emphasize the shock that there was such a female that could reject his charms and even insult him. The arrows of rejection hurt too much. She can't be a girl…that's right. No girl can reject him. She must've been living under a rock.

Shishido couldn't hide his laugh anymore. It was killing him. "AHAHAHA!" He laughed. "The great Atobe Keigo was rejected" He wiped a tear from his eye.

"And most of all…" She pointed her index finger towards him. "that pink bubbles and red roses picture you made was so…old and cheesy."

_Old_

_Old_

_Old_

_PANG!_

That's it. The Hyoutei regulars couldn't hold it in anymore, they were laughing really hard except for Ootori, Oshitari, Hiyoshi and Kabaji who were just chuckling. Such an amusing girl she is.

Even the rest were laughing except for Sanada, Yanagi, Yagyuu, Jackal and Yukimura. They were by far amused.

Atobe was…well dead in the inside so to say. No girl has ever insulted his charms before.

"Looks like our little friends over here is immune to Atobe's charms." Yukimura said. "Interesting…"

"The girl isn't so bad!" Shishido crouched down to face the girl and smiled. "You know, you're the only girl I've met who has ever rejected his smile!"

Rie blinked. Oshitari patted her head making her eye twitch. "Congratulations"

"Ne, ne, What's your name, kid?" Shishido asked.

Rie felt a vein pop but remained her façade. 'I'm not a kid.'

She looked to her side and said, "Arianna Rie, pleased to meet you." She glanced at them.

"Nice name" Ootori smiled.

Then after that, they took their turn in introducing to her. Rie almost had a headache. She couldn't possible remember all their names at once.

Gakuto stared the smaller girl. "You know, Arianna doesn't sound Japanese."

Yagyuu nodded his head. "It's actually Italian."

Niou gave a low whistle. "Nice"

"I just came back from Italy a month ago. My father's Japanese while my mom is Italian." She said. 'Though my mother actually looks like Japanese except for her hair.' She added.

A black blur suddenly appeared in front of Rie. "What th-" She got cut off by Kirihara. "Italy?"

"Yeah"

"That's impossible." Kirihara said.

"And why is that?" She asked looking at the seaweed head. "It's not seaweed-san's business."

"You're lying." He said.

"What makes you say that?"

Kirihara stomped his feet and counted. "First and foremost," He said. "Italian girls are pretty and beautiful!" He then observed her from head to toe. "you're plain and un-cute." He drawled the last word.

"You're not graceful." He added.

"That's not a good thing to say." Ootori said.

"Is he always like this?" Oshitari asked.

"I'm afraid so." Yagyuu nodded.

"It's better if you don't interfere." Yanagi said writing something in his notes.

As they continued to observe Kirihara insult her, they noticed the girl didn't even speak until now…

"You…"

"You?" Kirihara repeated.

"You've got some nerve insulting me!" She said in an icy tone. "Speak for yourself, you're just a seaweed head idiot!"

"What was that, baka-onna?" He said glaring back at her.

"I said you're just a seaweed head idiot!" She yelled and stomped her feet. "You're just asking a one way ticket to the moon!"

"I'd like to see you try!"

"Oh yes I will!" She said and hit him with the plastic bag which was awfully heavy.

"ITTAI!"

CLAP!

They both looked to their side to see Yukimura smiling. "That's enough you two," He started. "How about you guys settle this in a tennis match?"

"NO!" Kirihara and Niou shouted in unison with different reasons of course.

"She knows how to play tennis?" Shishido asked.

"Technically, yes…but things lead to misfit when she actually played the last time." Yanagi answered.

"Uh…" Gakuto looked at the trickster of Rikkai Dai. "Is he okay?"

Yanagi looked to where Gakuto was looking at and sweatdropped. "There's a hundred percent he did this to protect himself from last time."

Niou was holding the garbage can lid and used it as a shield over his head against any stray balls of Rie ever hit him again.

"Buchou, I don't think that's such a good idea! She can't even serve normally!"

"Yes I can!" Rie said.

"No you can't!"

"Now, now" Yukimura sighed. He gave one of Marui's extra rackets to Rie since Marui agreed to let her borrow one of his rackets. "Here, Arianna-chan and remember," He gave a quick glance to their team's trickster and then faced her again. "Don't hold back when you _serve_, okay? Show us what you're really capable of."

Niou felt a chill run down his spine. He had a feeling that what their buchou meant by 'don't hold back when you serve' wasn't really encouraging as he thought. No, it had a darker and more painful meaning towards it. He mentally cursed. Buchou was expecting for Rie to hit the balls and let it hit him. Oh hell no…

'Oh hell yes' Yukimura thought smiling like an angel.

How ironic, he was smiling like an angel though his aura was like of a devil's. The people near him, Sanda and Yanagi were smart to back away in rush manner. They wanted to live, thank you very much.

But things took off in an unexpected twist which Niou was grateful for when the two, Rie and Kirihara engaged themselves in a tug-of-war battle. Correction: Tug-of-war battle on Marui's racket. Kirihara really didn't want that girl to play, huh?

"That guy is too stubborn huh?" Shishido whispered. "What's with those two?"

Jackal rubbed the back of his head. "He's just jealous."

"You guys have been babying him too much, huh?"

"…I suppose"

"Let go!" Kirihara said. "You don't even know the rules! Besides, I still have a match with Kamio!"

"Then at least let me serve once." She said trying to pull the racket.

"Let go!"

"Ie"

"Let go!"

"Ie"

"Let go!"

"My racket!" Marui shouted fearing for the life of his racket.

"They're like children." Oshitari commented.

"Well I think they're cute!" Yukimura smiled.

"I hope you're right about that." Oshitari trailed as he took another look at the two. 'Maybe…'

"Let Ore-sama handle this." Atobe said and walked towards the two. He snapped his finger. "Ore-sama no bigi ni yoi na." He smirked but he failed miserably as the two just ignored him.

"Ie"

"Argh!"

"Oy, Ore-sama said for you to stop." Atobe snapped. "Commoners like you should obey Ore-sama's orders!"

Atobe's eye twitched when he noticed they were still arguing AND ignoring the great Ore-sama a.k.a him.

"Listen here-ACK!" Atobe yelled as he was thrown to the ground painfully. Feeling the solid ground come contact with his face, he groaned in pain. "Ittai!"

They expected for the two to stop and take time to at least notice the Hyoutei diva but sadly they looked like they didn't even bulged…or even noticed that they hit someone. They just remained arguing like the uncaring brats they were acting like now.

Everybody facepalmed. No…triple facepalmed.

Kirihara moved back to get some more space to pull the racket out of the girl's hands and because of his movement he had unknowingly stepped on the body of one Atobe Keigo. _Umph!_

"Huh?" Kirihara wondered as he took another step back. _Umph!_ "Did you hear that?"

"What?" Rie asked blinking completely forgetting that they were fighting as she also stepped on the Hyoutei Tennis team captain. _Umph!_

"Hear that?" _Umph!_

"Yeah" _Umph!_

"What is it?" _Umph!_

Soon, the two started walking over the body of Atobe Keigo wanting to find out whose body this was only making the diva more pissed off by each step they took on his body.

"It's soft…but hard, feels like a pillow." _Twitch_

"A pillow made of rocks." _Twitch_

"STOP IT YOU PEASANTS! ORE-SAMA IS NOT A PILLOW NOR IS HE MADE OF ROCKS!" He snapped at the two.

The two took a step back more like Kirihara held Rie's shoulder and pulled her with him when Atobe exploded like a volcano.

Atobe's eye twitched uncontrollably. "Peasants like you should respect ORE-SAMA!"

Rie was lost. 'Oreo-sama? Since when did the topic got to cookies?' *

"Who are…you?" She inquired looking at him. "And who is Oreo-sama?"

_Twitch_

Laughters were heard behind her and the loudest of them all came from Shishdo and Gakuto. "HAHAHA! Oreo-sama, that's gold!"

Atobe slapped his forehead. 'Relax, she's only a girl,' He looked at her again, 'A small cute girl who is not aware of the greatness Ore-sama has shown. Patience, Ore-sama shall not allow his patience to run out because of her, someone who was just introduced.'

He looked at her and smiled (while his eye was still twitching). "Ore-sama is me," He pointed to himself showing he is the one she was asking about.

"Ore-sama's name is Atobe Keigo."

Rie nodded as if she clearly understood what he meant and gave him a blank look.

"So Oreo-sama's name is Atobe Keigo." She then tilted her head in confusion. "Then why do you call yourself after a cookie?"

Atobe slapped his face groaning mentally as the hand slid down his face. "It's Ore-sama. Ore-sama calls himself Ore-sama because of his great prowess."

"Now say it properly, O-re-sa-ma" He explained.

"Ore-sama"

"Good now-"

"Then why does it remind me of Oreo? Are you really hungry?"

Atobe slapped his forehead…three times. "This is hopeless."

The others were still laughing and even Sanada was smiling at Atobe failing. It was obvious that the stoic fuku-buchou of Rikkai Dai held dislike for the Hyoutei Captain and vice-versa so why not enjoy the 'misery' of the person whom you dislike now or might never see it again.

"Maa, maa," Yukimura said but his eyes had a glint. "Why don't we stop now? And Akaya," He called to their junior ace.

"Hai, buchou?" He asked.

"You can let go of her now." Yukimura said looking at the hand that was currently holding the shoulder of the snow-white haired girl. "Unless you don't want to, it's understandable."

Kirihara's eyes widened . "A-as if! I don't want to catch her cooties?" He yelled shaking his head to emphasize his point.

Yukimura was amused. "Whatever you say, Akaya."

Kirihara sighed.

Yukimura walked away towards the benches where the plastics were placed. "But, you know I would believe you if you let go."

Kirihara looked at his right hand and it was still on Rie's shoulder. He immediately let go of her and pushed her away, softly then he walked to the benches where his bag was, to hide the small tint of red on his face. He wasn't used to touching girls rather than his big sister, he may not like the baka-onna but she was still a girl.

He needed a drink. Kirihara took the water bottle from his bag and opened it. He expected a feeling of refreshment from the cooling sensation of the cold water but he got none. Oh yeah, that's right, all of the content of his water bottle was unintentionally spilt on the head of his bushy haired bastard of a senpai. He grumbled inside his head. "Damn"

"Arianna-chan!" Yukimura called out. He motioned for her to come over and as she did so he whispered something to her which made the freshman take the plastic bags in a quick manner but as soon as she took the plastic bags she was suddenly pulled down from the weight of those plastic bags. What is in that thing?

Marui popped one of his bubble gum. "Need some help?"

She shook her head and walked up to the Rikkai regulars.

"Here" She said giving them the plastic bag.

Marui and Niou were dumbfounded. "What?"

They looked inside the plastic bag and saw lots of water bottles.

It was for them?

"You guys were training right?" She asked. "Here"

Niou and Marui stared at each other before grinning and took the plastic bag. "Thanks a lot! Rie-chan!"

RIe blushed, embarrassed. They called her by her first name, she was not used to it since her old classmates called her names she didn't want to remember.

"She paid for it." Yukimura added.

All of them gave her a smile, even Sanada (well he smiled a bit).

"Thanks"

"Seaweed-san" She called.

Kirihara turned around, he saw a water bottle thrown towards him and before it got the chance to hit his face, he caught it. He smirked and stuck his tongue out at her. "Missed me"

The girl turned around. "I did it on purpose.'

"Che" Kirihara drank from the water bottle. "Thanks He muttered.

Yukimura walked towards the Fudomine and Hyoutei regulars and gave them the last plastic bag. "Here you can have it. She told me you guys can have it." He said. "You guys weren't bad, she said."

"Well she wasn't so bad herself," Shishido shrugged his shoulder. "Too bad she's in your school. If only she was in Hyoutei, I would have loved to see Atobe like that everyday."

Atobe glared at him. "Remind me later Kabaji to give him laps next practice."

"Usu"

Shishido waved it off carelessly. "Yeah, yeah but it will be so worth it though, O great Oreo-sama."

Ootori chuckled. "Thing would've been interesting if she were a student in Hyoutei." He said looking at Rie and Kirihara glaring at each other. 'They're at it again.'

"Ne, ne, how'd you met her?" Gakuto and Jirou asked. "Someone like her doesn't fall out from thin air."

Yukimura smiled his sadistic smile. Maybe he could mess with their heads for a while.

"Actually, she did fall from thin air."

"WHAT?"

Yukimura smiled. "We met her when we saw her falling down from the sixth floor. Akaya was yelling that Niou killed somebody. We didn't know she was the one he was talking about."

The two blinked.

Did they hear him right? FELL? From the SIXTH FLOOR?

"Yes, she fell, quite sad, you know."

Yukimura put his left hand on the corner of his mouth meaning he was going to tell them a secret. "Actually, she's a product of a resurrection ritual Niou performed."

They looked at him as he grew another head.

While all the two of them were dazed, Yukimura called over their topic subject, Rie.

"Arianna-chan," Yukimura said. "Didn't you fell down from the sixth floor?"

"Hai"

Their eyes turned to the size of saucer plates.

"And didn't you fell into unconsciousness when you landed on the pool?"

"Hai"

Their faces were now similar to a goldfish gasping for air. "So sad…"

"So she is a product of a resurrection ritual." Gakuto breathed out. "Who knew Niou had it in him."

Yukimura nodded grimly. "But don't tell her that or else, she'll turn into ash, okay?"

The two nodded their head vigorously while Atobe shook his head.

"Good" Yukimura nodded.

"AH!" Marui shouted looking at the wall clock. "It's already time! I need to go now. Mom is going to kill me if I'm late! Or else," Marui paled. "She might ground me from sweets!"

Yukimura looked at him. "All right, practice is done! See you guys on Monday!"

"Hai!"

"Ore-sama and his team shall leave as well." Atobe announced. "See you guys in Nationals."

"Bye, Rie-chan!" Gakuto waved.

Jirou jumped up and down. "Okay, bye Marui! And bye Rie-chan." He said and glomped the smaller girl. "Don't turn into dust okay?"

Rie gave him a look. "What?"

"Nothing" Jirou said goofily. "Bye!"

Kamio looked at the time too. "We better catch the next bus to take us back home."

Ibu nodded. "Yeah"

"We're taking our leave too. See you in Nationals." Kamio said leaving with his friend.

"Today was pretty eventful." Yagyuu commented.

"Indeed." Yanagi said writing down notes from what happened today.

"Well gotta go! Sweets to save!" Marui yelled running home.

Yukimura talked to Rie, "Would you still like to show us your control over your serve now?"

"Sure"

Yukimura talked to Niou for a while then he returned with a racket in his hands. "Here, this is Niou's. Try just one serve."

"Can I hit seaweed-san with it?" She asked.

Yukimura nodded. "Remember to not hold back."

Niou gulped. He suddenly had a feeling he shouldn't have let her borrowed his racket but then again he'll be promised with torture if he declined. He gulped and quickly took the garbage can lid again.

Kirihara also gulped. This is bad…really bad. "B-buchou, you can't be serious."

Rie bounced the tennis ball up and down.

"This should be interesting." Jackal said.

Rie smiled darkly and the temperature around the tennis court suddenly got colder.

Kirihara gripped his tennis racket tighter.

Rie threw the ball high up and then she smashed the tennis racket to the ball with much force the ball was like a gun, loud, fast and deadly. When the racket made contact with the ball, it was like pulling a trigger of a gun, it may look harmless but once that trigger was pulled, the bullet comes out in a fast but deadly speed but in the form of a tennis ball.

Kirihara wasn't able to even respond as the ball went past him, very fast. Good thing it missed him by just a few inches.

Rie's eye twitched. "I missed again." She mumbled. "And here I was, going to show him how I controlled my power to him…" she grumbled under her breath pulling the hoodie of her jacket over her head. "Che"

On the contrary, the tennis ball bounced to the pole behind Kirihara and hit it and bounced back straight to the back of his head, hitting him. "ACK!" And then the ball bounced again to other places hitting innocent objects and in that process it had also hit the head of one Niou Masaharu. "Itte!"

Rie smirked. "See?" too bad, Kirihara didn't saw it since he fell down face-first from the force of the ball and was left grumbling things about baka-onnas and stupid super bouncing balls.

Yukimura smiled, pleased with what happened (particularly on one thing…two things). 'She cleared all the three requirements. Next thing we need is her agreement and the papers needed but those things will just be easy.' He smiled angelically, the smile of the devil.

Yanagi inwardly shuddered sensing the dark aura slowly coming from Yukimura. This is not a good omen. Not at all and he has a feeling it will involve him even if wants to or not.

"Yukimura-buchou's turning Arianna-chan into a sadist." Jackal said.

Niou stood up and rubbed his sore head and grumbled under his breath. "How'd he managed to brainwash her."

* * *

**Hey, I'd like to also mention thanks for reading this chapter and my story. I really appreciate it! **

**Correction, this by far is the longest chapter for this story!**

**Reviews are very welcomed! So please Review and give me opinions or message me if you'd like. I won't get mad.**

CrimsonLinkx


	7. Getting to know the other

**I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS!**

Hey,I'd like to thank all of you guys for reading this fic. I appreciate it a lot.

You guys are AWESOME!

I'd like to thank the following for reviewing the last chapter:

..fangirl

Sakura Ichigo Morihiko

chillybean

xKurenaiBara

dJhAmystery

celtic27fionn

* * *

_Bang!_

_Bang!_

_Bang!_

Continuous sounds were heard under a stone bridge by a river, sounds of a tennis ball being hit continuously on the same spot over and over again. The tennis player hit the ball again and again until a thought of what happened earlier entered his mind and missed the ball hurdling towards him until it made contact with his face. "Ack!"

"Itte, itte, itte…" He said rubbing his face. "Stupid tennis balls"

The male stood up and dusted some dirt off of his jersey. 'Damn it. I still can't get that serve of hers out of my head.' He thought.

The shot was something he has never seen. At first, it may look harmless but when the racket made contact with the ball it was something not to take lightly of. It reminded him of a certain weapon but he couldn't remember what it was. It's already on the tip of his tongue. It's…a sword? Nah…

A flail? Nope.

A Sai? Of course not!

"Argh!" The black haired teen yelled scratching his head. "What is it?"

"What is what?" A voice asked. "If you're going to start talking to yourself like that people will think you're crazy, seaweed-san."

Great, speaking of her, Kirihara turned his head to see the cause of his early thoughts, the baka-onna. "It's none of your business. Why are you here?"

"I passed by." Rie said. 'I was supposed to go to the arcade.'

Kirihara raised a brow. "Just leave"

Rie ignored him and looked at the wall before her. There were dark spots on it. She walked towards and traced them with her finger. 'Such power…' She thought looking at it but what really got her attention was the darkest spot out of all. It was in the middle. It was probably the spot where he hit the most. He was working on his accuracy and coordination but before she could take another step, a ball missed her and had hit that spot.

"Oops" Kirihara said. "My mistake" He said putting his hands behind his head.

Rie's bangs covered her eyes as her body twitched. "Sorry" Kirihara snickered.

"Apology accepted." She smiled when she elbowed him. "Augh!"

Kirihara rubbed his chest. "I think you broke a rib."

"I'm sorry, that was an accident." She said tilting her head.

"Damn you…" Kirihara said still rubbing his chest.

"You said something?" She asked looking at him with a deadly look.

Kirihara shivered. "N-n-nothing" He replied quickly.

'Buchou's becoming a bad influence on her.'

* * *

And in the end, Rie stayed and observed him as he practiced, much to his dismay.

Her eyes followed his movement and how he made the proper movements she should do playing tennis but she noticed his movements were a bit off.

"Something bothering you?" She asked.

"YOU'RE" He emphasized on the 'you'. "watching me practice." He said.

Rie gave him a confused look. "Me?"

"Yeah, you and your shot have been bothering me. How'd you even managed to do that?" Kirihara asked waving his hands.

Rie looked up. "It's by my instinct, I guess." She said. "That shot I made sort of reminded me of my hobby."

"Hobby?"

Rie nodded. "Archery and using the gun."

Kirihara's eyes widened. "Gun?"

"Pellet gun" Rie added.

"Oh" Kirihara said. "so you learned those when you were in Italy?"

She nodded grimly remembering something.

Kirihara noticed the girl's sudden change when he saw her face sadden. He frowned. He never was any good with girls so he looked to his side but Yagyuu-senpai was already lecturing him that a gentleman shouldn't let a woman cry.

Kirihara sighed. He walked up to her and stared at her, eye to eye. "You know, I could probably give you tips on playing tennis, if you'd like."

Rie looked at him startled. "You're sick." She bluntly said.

Kirihara felt insulted. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M SICK?" He yelled and turned away from her. "And here I was acting like a gentleman to cheer you up." He said.

"You're really a baka-onna!" He said with his back facing her.

Rie felt her mouth twitch upwards and chuckled.

"What now?" Kirihara glared at her. 'Great, now she's making fun of me.'

Rie shook her head. "What I meant by 'you're sick' was you're actually sick. Like you have a fever or something."

"Why?"

"You hate me." Rie answered as if it was the most obvious thing.

"Yes…not entirely." Kirihara said. "but that isn't the point, would you like to still learn or not?"

Rie let a small smile pass her lips. "Sure"

* * *

Everything was going smoothly with the two. They found out that they were both fans of eating yakiniku and sushi and playing at the arcade. Everything was going well and now Kirihara was running around trying to avoid getting hit by one of Rie's balls and miserable failing-oops that's not so good.

"Stop it-GACK!" He shouted after getting hit on his head.

"You deserved it!" Rie yelled hitting one ball after another.

"Hey, I'm sorry okay? Sorry!" He yelled dodging another ball.

"Shut up!" Rie yelled, face flustered. "Now, stop running away!"

"Are you crazy? And get my face hit in the process?" He asked running again.

"Yes"

"You are crazy."

"Says the seaweed head who started this mess." She yelled as she successfully hit him on the face. "Yosh!"

"Help" Kirihara yelped when he fell down.

Let's look back shall we, Well it all started when Kirihara was showing the topaz-eyed girl the proper way to return a ball and it somehow ended up in this situation. You see, Kirihara was holding Rie's arms as he taught her and when he was about help her position he accidentally touched chest…and felt nothing…absolutely nothing. Her chest was FLAT. F-L-A-T. Flat.

Rie wouldn't have gotten this mad if Kirihara didn't have to make a remark.

"_No wonder I didn't believe you were a girl. You're flat like a piece of paper."_

Now, that sent her into 'all hell shall break loose' mode. If only Kirihara knew how to shut his mouth, he would've avoided getting into this situation.

And sadly he did not.

"All I said was that you're flat!"

"SEAWEED NO BAKA!" She yelled giving him a kick. "ITTAI!"

"I should've have done that earlier." Rie muttered punching her left fist to her palm ignoring the junior ace of Rikkai Dai learning his lesson.

* * *

"Sorry" Kirihara muttered fixing his things making the girl look at him. "For insulting your physical structure."

Rie turned around. "Sorry for almost breaking your ribs."

Kirihara started going home. "I'm tired, I'm going now."

"Wait"

"What?" Kirihara asked, annoyed.

"I was originally planning to go to the arcade and I'm not planning to forget it, wanna come?" She asked the older boy.

Kirihara'a ears perked when he heaed the word 'arcade'. He was after all a game-loving boy. It wouldn't hurt right?

"Sure" Kirihara said acting like it was nothing. "Bet you can't beat me."

"Yeah,yeah" Rie rolled her eyes. "save it when we get there."

Kirihara looked back at her. 'So she likes arcades?'

Maybe she was not that bad as he thought she was. Any arcade lover was okay with him.

* * *

"Take that!" Rie yelled pumping her fist up.

"Damn it" Kirihara glared. Correction, any arcade lover was okay to him except for a certain snow0white haired girl who always called him a seaweed-head and who name starts with an 'r' and ends with an 'e'.

Kirihara one again glanced at the scorings. He lost to her by one point…in air hockey. Darn it!

"And you were saying something about how I can't beat you?" She said looking at him.

"Che" Kirihara said.

Rie smiled. She loved the arcade, especially the ones that involve handling with a gun.

The freshman looked around until something caught her interest. "Let's try that one!"

The boy turned his head to where his companion was looking at and grinned. "Last one there's going to be player 2." He said and dashed towards the arcade game with the girl running after him.

Time Crisis 4 (I do not own Time Crisis 4)

"Take that!" Kirihara said after shooting one of the enemies with his machine gun.

"You know you should save that for later." Rie commented after taking down one of the enemies with the shield. "Fine, I'm letting you take down that guy with the yellow uniform." *

They continued playing until they ran out of life, playing together like they didn't even hated each other (with Kirihara) and some passersby even commented on how the two looked cute together which they didn't heard since they were too busy saving the world from villains.

At least they beat the high score.

And now, Kirihara and Rie were playing Dance Dance Revolution (Again, I do not own Dance dance Revolution) and Kirihara was leading. "Not bad, Seaweed-san."

"Let's see you keep up." Kirihara smirked.

"Let's see about that." Rie said and kept up with the rhythm of the song until the two were already tied.

Left, right, up, up, down, left, right, right, left, hand- wait! Hand?

Rie accidentally slipped and fell down dragging the junior with her as they fell with their butts meeting the concrete floor. "Ouch!" Kirihara said rubbing his back. "What the hell was that for, Baka-onna?"

Rie smacked him in the head. "It's your fault, you seaweed-idiot. Your shoelaces were untied and I slipped on them!"

Kirihara stood up. "But you didn't have to drag me down with you!"

"Your hand was in the way." Rie said glaring back at him starting a glaring contest.

After minutes of nothing but glaring at the person before you the two laughed. "Ahahaha!"

"That sure was something." They both said in unison and looked at each other.

Rie was laughing with her left hand covering her mouth while the other was hugging her stomach.

Kirihara stared at her, gaping like a fish. "You-you" He paused. "You can smile! And laugh!" He continued to stare at the freshman. "And I thought you were some she-beast sent to make my life a living hell."

The said "she-beast" blushed and looked away in embarrassment. 'What is this feeling? I'm not supposed to act like this.'

Kirihara noticed her embarrassment and grinned. "You ARE a human!" He jumped up and started cheering. "I have made the discovery of the century!"

Rie's eye twitched and she quickly put on her façade.

**Smack!**

Kirihara's body was twitching as his head was faced down. "Correction: You're not human."

"I'm a girl" She said. "I'm going to go now. I had fun." She said patting him on the head like a dog.

"Eh?" Kirihara looked to his left to see the girl leaving. He thought for a moment before running after her. "Wait!"

"I'll accompany you back to your house." He said following after her.

"No" She continued her way. "Thanks but no thanks"

"I wasn't asking." Kirihara stuck out his tongue, "It was a statement."

"Then what if I ordered you not to?" She asked raising her brow.

"I wouldn't listen." He waved his hand in the carelessly. "It's getting really late."

"I can handle myself." She stated. "I can fight."

"You're a girl."

"So what?"

"Hey, I was raised by my parents not to let a girl walk home alone at night. Danger is everywhere." He said.

Rie's eyes softened. "Then you have a nice family."

"But they're crazy." He commented.

"I don't think so." Rie said turning right and continued walking with the black haired boy following. "You sure you can remember the way back?"

"That's because you haven't met them." Kirihara said. "And I'll be fine"

"That's good" She said stopping and faced him. "I'm good here. Thanks for accompanying me" She said looking at him.

"You're welcome" Kirihara said. "You sure? I can walk you back to your house."

Rie looked around. "Yeah I'm good but would you like to stay for dinner?" She asked.

He shook his head. "Mom's making something special. She'll grill me alive when I miss it."

Rie inwardly smiled at the thought. Barbequed seaweed…wonder how it'll go. She shook her head.

"Well then, I will be going now. Thanks for the day."

Kirihara nodded his head and turned around. "By the way," He drawled. "we need to give that special serve of yours a name." He grinned. "How about…" He pointed his finger upwards. "Baka-onna's super infinite speed serve!"

_That sounds stupid…_

"That was…dumb." She whispered. "And super long."

'No heck (/shit)…' Kirihara agreed. 'I can't believe I thought of that name.'

"Then how about Pistol Serve?" He scratched the back of his head.

Rie started walking again.

Kirihara was…disappointed. 'I guess she didn't like it.'

"Seawee-Ie…Kirihara-san" Rie's soft voice called to him.

Kirihara turned his head and caught the soft rare smile of her. "Grazie" She smiled. "Lo apprezzo molto."

'What does that mean?' Kirihara thought but there was this feeling inside that old him, he knew what it meant and was left staring at the back of the snow-white haired girl.

_Tick tock_

_Tick tock_

_Tick tock_

"Ah!" Kirihara started scratching his head. "I'm late! Mom's gonna kill me!"

By the fence of a certain freshman, the girl looked up as she heard the screams of a seaweed head. 'Ba-ka'

* * *

Rie stared at the postcard she got when she looked at the mailbox. 'In Osaka?'

'So that's where his latest project was.' She thought taking a sip of some water. 'He's back.'

"Vitale…" She shook her head. "Ie…Clau" She said softly looking at a picture frame on the wall.

_Welcome back..._

* * *

**I thought of this chapter because I want Kirihara to see Rie's not a she-beast and never was to start with hehehe :) Aargh...summer break is going to end soon. *sighs* but anyway... the next chapter might take longer. Sorry about that.**

**Thanks for the reviews you guys! I really really appreciate it.**

Who is this person named "Clau"?

And what is he to Rie?

(And will Kirihara be barbequed by his mother?) XD

Please **review!**

Thanks!


	8. Maiden

Hey guys, I'm still alive here! And here's an all new chapter.

Oh yeah, sorry i forgot to put the translations for the Italian words Rie used in the previous chapter

**Translations:**

**Grazie: **Thank you

**Lo apprezzo molto: **I appreciate it

I do not own Prince of Tennis!

* * *

**I'd like to thank the following readers for reviewing! Awesome!**

**xKurenaiBara: **Ahaha! Sadly no, *sighs* Kirihara will probably turn red cause he'll really be angry and just in case *gives you a fire extinguisher* use this ;)

**chillybean:** Sorry I forgot to put the translations. Thanks for the reminder

**Rin136: **Don't worry. I'm not planing to discontinue this story.

**FloppyWandedDementorBoggerer: **Well she's really flat. No bandages used, she'll grow in the future...I hope so

**RenKun-Sensei: **Thanks for reviewing!

**Marooweeizauzum: **You'll find out in the chapter~

**Sakura Ichigo Morihiko: **No she doesn't like him...yet. Kirihara still hates her.

**Doc Deej: **Thanks! And to answer your questions, you'll just have to read to find out~

**Enjoy~**

* * *

What a wonderful day it was in Rikkaidai Fuzoku. The sun was shining brightly. The ever moving wind giving the students a calm and refreshing breeze and the shouts of pain and the sounds of kicks, punches and bites with the never missing sound of metals jiggling from the way it was being used. What a wonderful day it was. _Huh? Uh oh…_

"GET HER!"

"SHE'S PULLING MY HAIR!"

"SHUT UP!"

* * *

In the Rikkai Dai tennis club room, all the regulars were called for a meeting by none other than their buchou, Yukimura Seichi. All of them were wondering why they were there save for Sanada and Yanagi.

Marui closed his locker and looked at Yukimura. "Buchou, why did you call for us?" He yawned.

"We should usually be having practice matches right now or running laps."

Yukimura replied with a smile. "You'll see. Our special guest should be arriving right now."

'Special guest?' Niou thought. 'Don't tell me-oh crap.'

3…2…1…

Distinct shouts were suddenly heard beyond the door separating the regulars from the outside world making them look at their buchou oddly.

"GRAB HER!"

"NO! STOP IT!"

"THAT'S THE WRONG WAY! OW!"

BAM!

Then all heads turned to the door.

The door was kicked open as three figures came into view carrying a certain someone we are all already familiar with.

'Rie-chan!'

The three guys panted. "We brought her."

"Good work, boys." Yukimura smiled.

Marui and Niou immediately ran to the girl. "Rie-chan, are you alright?" They asked only to get a muffled response from the girl as there was towel covering her mouth. 'What the fudge happened?'

Rie, the freshman, right now was tied…but not in a rope like last time but in a metal chain.

"Why did you tie her up in a metal chain?" Jackal asked.

Sanada and Yanagi were surprised and rubbed their temples. "Seiichi…"

Kirihara's eyes widened at what he saw and his jaw was left hanging. "Uh…" He absentmindedly spoke while Marui and Niou were busy trying to get the towel off her mouth and the chains around her body. Fortunately, they were able to untie the towel but the chains around her body won't get off. They realized there was a lock connected. Damn

'A lock? You have to be kidding me!' Niou thought.

With the newfound freedom to speak clearly again, she glared at them with her icy cold glare and spoke venomously, "I swear, when I get out of these chains, you three won't live to see another day." At this, the three males paled and gave the blue-haired captain the key. "Here"

Sanada sighed. "Please don't tell me this is your whole idea."

Yukimura chuckled darkly. "Unfortunately, it is…" He looked at the confused girl. "Sorry about this Rie-chan but I needed to talk to you. It's about the team."

"I couldn't find you so I asked those three to go and look for you but," He eyed the chains. "I didn't think they really needed those chains. Sorry for the inconvenience."

Yagyuu raised his brow. "So you're saying that you supplied them with the chains."

Yukimura nodded and Yanagi didn't want to question even why.

The three boys sweated a lot…they didn't even wanted to do this but when the blue haired captain asked them they couldn't say no for the consequences that will soon happen. They brought a rope for the task but asked for a metal chain because they felt that they needed something…more durable for this kidnapping…um task. They weren't suicidal enough to approach that eyepatch wearing girl when she was found asleep by the window sill…again.

And I guess you could imagine what happened next. While they were tying her up the rope they had was torn apart by her kicking and biting so they were really glad they had a metal chain with them. It looked like they were kidnapping a defenseless (combative) little (hates to be called that) girl.

They took a glance at the tied up girl and gulped. She was glaring at them promising something really bad at them. She mouthed out the words, 'I'm going to murder you…' They inwardly cried.

"I'm sorry now but-but I HAVE TO MAKE SURE SOMETHING IS DONE!" One of the boys shouted. "I HAVE TO MAKE SURE MY FISH GETS TO OWN MY VIDEOGAMES!" He ran off. 'Once I'm in the afterlife!'

"US too!"

The regulars all stared at the retreating backs of the three seniors…oddly.

"Talk about a serious case of Déjà vu." Jackal muttered rubbing his head.

The others agreed while Kirihara wondered, "Ne, what's Déjà vu?"

"…Are you really a second year?"

"I think he's been being fed too much stupid juice…again." Marui said chewing his gum.

Kirihara felt a nerve twitch. "At least I grow taller than you." He glared.

The red head's gum made a 'pop' sound. "What was that?"

"What I'm saying is that you're still small considering the amount of growth vitamins you take!" Kirihara spat out.

Marui resisted the urge to smack the brat's face as he chewed (murdered) the sweet bubble gum inside his mouth. "You" He pointed his index finger at his face. "just got an overdose of vitamins."

"Eh? But you're the second oldest of the team." Kirihara smirked. "and you're still around that height?"

"Why you!" Marui lunged at him and they soon started a fight.

"Oy!"

"That was my hair you idiot!"

"Like I care!"

"Prepare yourself!"

"Augh!"

"Tarundoru!" Sanada roared grabbing the collar of the two boys before backhanding them.

"ITTAI!"

"That was really uncalled for, fukubuchou…" Kirihara rubbed his head. "Ite ite ite"

Sanada merely gave them a stern face before lecturing them on how a Rikkai Dai students should behave…and in that process the tennis regulars forgot that there was snow-white haired girl with an eyepatch comfortably sitting on one of the benches being locked up from freedom because of a very strong metallic chain around her body and only a certain key could break her free from being deprived of free movement. And said key was right now in the hands of one sadistic tennis team captain.

'I didn't ask for this.' Rie thought trying to break free.

"WELL THAT MAKES YOU AND THE BAKA-ONNA AS THE SHORTEST OF ALL OF US!"

_Twitch_

"Well you are just an immature -wait! Rie-chan!" Marui said and ran towards the freshman.

So they only realized she was still tied up now…great.

"Quick, Buchou, the key!" He shouted as Yukimura threw the key at his hand and unlocked the lock that kept her.

Marui couldn't help but blink though because as soon as Rie was free she picked up the nearest object near her and threw it at the junior ace.

"ACK! THAT'S MY TENNIS BAG! ACK!"

_Bam!_

"I am not small you seaweed-head idiot!"

_Bam!_

"Ack!"

Rie threw an English textbook (don't know where she got it) at him. "Ah! English! It burns!" He shouted as fell down on the concrete floor with a loud THUD.

Niou let out a low whistle. "I always knew Kirihara hated that subject more than anything."

Rie fixed her uniform and put on her blank look and crack her knuckled together letting out a very dark aura as she headed for the door. "Excuse me now," She said. "I still have to go organize a funeral…" Thunder suddenly appeared behind her as the regulars imagined their sadistic buchou doing that.

"It's official." Niou said raising his hand up in a motion to show surrender. "She's completely brainwashed by buchou."

Yagyuu looked at his partner in doubt but he soon agreed. "Hai…but I think she may be already like that ever since."

"Remember that time at the clinic?"

Niou smirked. "Puri~ I also got to send someone into a comatose. Ah…good times. Good times indeed."

The trickster shrugged his shoulders. "But hey, that just shows I'm really awesome!"

Yagyuu glared at the trickster. "Niou-kun, I don't think sending somebody in a near death experience is showing how 'awesome' a person is."

"I still can't even remember how I even put up with you."

Niou snickered and nudged him. "Cause you love me?"

"…"

"Just joking!" Niou laughed and slapped Yagyuu on the back. "Cause I'm awesome!"

* * *

Rie sat on one of the benches of the tennis club room. The hood of the jacket she was wearing on, covering most of her hair.

"Ne," She started. "What did you guys needed me for?"

Marui shrugged his shoulder. "Beats me"

"Yukimura-buchou was the one who asked those three seniors to find you."

Yukimura chuckled. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience but I needed to tell you something." He continued. "It's about the club."

Sanada looked at their buchou. "You don't mean…"

Yukimura nodded. "She completed the two things and the last one is easy enough."

"I don't think the tennis club ever had one because of the female students here are…"

"Oy! What are you guys talking about?" Kirihara was confused. "What do you guys mean by that?"

Yanagi sighed. "There's an 87% chance he's talking about giving Rie a position in the tennis club."

"EH?" Marui, Niou and Kirihara shouted. "Her! A regular?" Kirihara shouted.

"She'll get her cooties on us!" Kirihara yelled only to get hit on the head. "Ouch!"

He looked at where the source was only to see the snow-white haired girl throwing a soap up and down on her hand. "I dare you to say that again."

Kirihara glared at Rie as if completely forgetting what happened the other day when they looked like a sweet couple playing and shooting bad guys in the arcade like they didn't even hated each other's guts at all. But sadly, it seems like they completely erased that memory in their heads. "_Stupid idiotic blind cootie-infected girl…" _He muttered. "Ack!"

He rubbed the back of his head as he glared again at the freshman who was now holding a water bottle.

Ignoring the two arguing students, Jackal rubbed his head. "I don't think it's that position."

"Then what is it?" Marui popped his bubbled gum.

Rie raised a brow.

"He's talking about giving her the position as the 'Maiden of Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku's tennis club.'." Sanada announced.

Kirihara looked lost. "What? What Maiden of the school?"

Niou and Marui slapped their forehead and groaned. "You've been here for two years and you don't know what that is?"

"I was wrong. You weren't fed stupid juice, Bakaya." Niou grumbled. "You were hit by a stupid arrow in the head." He continued. 'or dropped on the head when you were a baby.'

"Hey!" Kirihara shouted crossing his arms over his chest.

"It's understandable, Marui, Niou. It's been a long time since the school tennis club had a 'Maiden'." Yukimura nodded. "I could still remember our last 'Maiden'. She was a very eccentric but strong-willed woman."

Yanagi nodded. "Yeah she always threatened that she'll fry us in a big pan if we ever slack off."

"But she instead uses the pan to hit us in the head…I sometimes wonder whether or not she was a sadist. She always laughed whenever she hit us."

"That's because she IS a sadist." Niou intercepted.

Marui shivered. "That's because we DIDN'T want one! Most of the female students in the school are annoying, clingy, fakes, thieves and most of all OBSSESSIVE!" He shouted.

"Marui-kun, that's not the proper way to talk about women." Yagyuu chastised.

Marui snorted. "Yeah right, did you know they've been stealing stuffs from us in our lockers?"

"What makes you say that?" Jackal asked.

"The internet, duh…" Marui said. "They have like this website called: "WeloveRikkaiTennisclub" where they showcase our stolen stuffs like a rare art exhibit. Heck, they're even selling our stuffs there!"

"They even have posters all around the school billboard!"

"So that explains my missing comb." Niou mused.

"And my missing pen." Yanagi

"…black cap" Sanada

"Arm Band" Yukimura

"My book" Yagyuu

"One of my electronic Shavers." (Why would they even want that?)

"My crayons…"

All heads turned to their junior and raised a brow. "Crayons?"

Kirihara laughed nervously. "R-right…Um…the crayons I used for my art activity…"

"Yeah, right." Niou smirked. "Then explain why you have a coloring book in your bag?"

"IT'S NOT A COLORING BOOK!" Kirihara shouted. "IT'S AN ACTIVITY BOOK! My aunt gave it to me as a gift a long time ago and I wanted to use it so it won't go to waste."

'Lie…' Niou thought. A person wouldn't make a very long explanation like Kirihara did.

"And when was _long time ago_?" Niou asked.

Kirihara turned around and muttered. "a month ago"

At this reply, Niou and Marui laughed.

"For a thirteen year old-"

"THIRTEEN AND A HALF!"

"Whatever, for a thirteen _and a half_ year old boy, you have the maturity of a five year old." Marui said.

"I DO NOT!"

"Yes you do!" Niou and Marui yelled simultaneously.

"BUCHOU! THEY'RE HARASSING ME!" Kirihara yelled.

"We are not!" They yelled again in perfect unison.

"TARUNDORU!" Sanada yelled. "This does not have anything to do with our main topic!"

"But-" Sanada gave them 'the glare'.

The immediately shut their mouth.

"Continue"

Yagyuu sighed. "The 'Maiden' is a term the tennis club calls their manager. It's just another way for them to call the manager. So all the Maiden's job is to just do what a team manager usually does except…our team manager is different." He paused. "Once you accept the position as the Maiden of the tennis club, you must fully accept its obligations as one. You must also join the training of the regulars as if you were a regular yourself and help in thinking methods to improve the team or else…"

"Or else what?" Rie asked, clearly curious.

"If the team captain and school principal do not see improvement in the team with your methods…you will be expelled."

"Expelled?" Marui asked in disbelief. "But that's too rash."

"It is…but do not forget that we gave our trust to the person who'll train us to become stronger and when we'll just find out that we didn't even improved it's like we were just betrayed by someone important to us since we trusted and believed in that person to train us."

"Which is the reason why there are only a few in the past who wanted to become a "Maiden" for the team" Sanada explained.

"But the girls these days do not know the responsibilities of being a "Maiden" in the team and only cared about gaining a higher chance of gaining our attention." Yanagi added.

"Still… Why give Rie-chan such a hard position! Isn't there just a normal manager for the team?" Marui asked. "I know I want Rie-chan to be in the team for some time but as a manager! Not something that could get her expelled for something like that!"

Yukimura shook his head. "There is none. The Maiden has been a position the school wants to continue since they had been a great support and value to the school over the years. The 'Maiden' is seen as a presentation of the female's strong-will and determination which is now hard to find considering the behavior they have shown nowadays like what you had just said, Marui."

"And besides… there are certain things a candidate must complete before she is given that position and tasks which Rie-chan has already completed…unknowingly."

Rie's eyes widened. 'What?'

"Task one: Must know basic tennis…"

_That time when Marui-senpai taught me the basics_

"Task two: Must show support to the team in any match."

_The time when she gave those water bottles to the regulars_

"Task three: The approval of all the regulars"

Rie fell down the bench as something occurred to her. 'All this time…I've been in this plan of senpai.'

"So that's why..." Marui thought out loud remembering the events that had happened.

"Do you guys really need a 'Maiden'?" Rie asked.

Yukimura nodded his head. "I'm sorry but the principal kept telling me to find a maiden for the team…he said he wanted to continue the tradition."

"And what if we didn't?" Niou crossed his arms over his chest.

"We can't. It's an order. The principal wants to pursue the purity of the school's tradition."

"Damn it"

Yukimura looked at the freshman. "I chose you for reasons and not because you're not a fan-girl. You have raw potential that still needs to be taken care of, Rie."

"But…I need to know if you want the position or not" Yukimura said looking at the freshman.

'Baka-onna…' Kirihara thought. 'If she declines it, it will cause trouble for the team and we won't be able to practice at our normal pace…darn it!' Kirihara's hands slowly turned into fists as he glared at the ground. 'Still, she's not even supposed to be in this situation if it weren't for these traditions.'

Rie stood up. Her bangs covering her eyes as she stood firmly on the ground. "Can I ask some questions?" She asked.

"Sure"

"When was this maiden thing with the principal?" She asked.

"That day when we gave you the tour. Yagyuu was called shortly after our conversation." He explained.

"So" She looked up at them with a blank face but there was something hidden in her eyes when she looked at them. "The events that had happened like the time when you told Marui-senpai to teach me and the time with the water bottles, they were all part of your plan?"

Yukimura nodded.

"I see…" She said. "But…those times when you guys smiled at me and took care of me…were they all…" She hesitated for moment looking to the side while tugging on the sleeve of her right arm.

"fake?" She asked. "I know when you're telling a lie." 'Been there done that.'

Yukimura's eyes widened before softening his gaze at the girl. 'I see. So that's why.'

"Of course not" He said which made Marui and Niou grin and Kirihara let out a smile.

"So inside that baka-baka onna exterior of yours, you really are a soft girl." Kirihara teased earning a whack in the head by Rie's new throwing weapon, the water jug.

Jackal patted her head softly. "We didn't know anything about this and even if we did, we'd still be the same."

Kirihara smirked. "Yeah, what makes you think like that? I'd still hate you even if I did know."

Rie glared softly at the smirking junior and looked to the side. "Ne, if I accept this position, I'll also become strong?" She asked.

Yukimura nodded his head. "But you'll also be thinking of methods to improve the team but since you're still a freshman I talked to the principal in letting you have an aide in this."

Rie smirked. "Good, cause there's still one person I have to beat." She started. "And about that help, I have the perfect person in mind but he's still in Osaka so I have to still wait and until then I'll be thinking of ways."

"So that means…"

Rie faced them, determination in her seen eye. "I, Arianna Rosetta Rie, accept the position as "Maiden" of Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku tennis club."

After saying that statement, Marui immediately gave the smaller girl a big hug. "Rie-chan!"

"Please take care of us!" He said.

Rie nodded and hid a small blush showing on her moon-kissed skin. "But"

"I'm not going easy on you guys. I'm going to train you guys the way I was trained when I was in Italy!" She announced while still being in the arms of Marui Bunta.

"Bring it on!" Niou said.

"Please do not underestimate us." Yagyuu said raising his glasses.

"We are not called emperors for nothing." Sanada said.

"Then do land mines work?" She asked blankly.

_Huh?_

"What if I hide land mines in the tennis field?" She asked. "It's to improve your senses and reaction time."

Marui let out a small 'Eh?' and slowly backed away from the girl he was just hugging.

"Just joking" Rie said. "He didn't train me using land mines."

"He?"

"Clau, my guardian, he trained me to use the bow and the gun." Rie said. "He's in Osaka right now."

Marui blanched when he heard the word 'guardian'. "Ne, Rie-chan, by guardian you mean as the person who cooked you that purplish _inedible _onigiri of yours and all of those purple foods you've been talking about?"

Rie nodded then tilted her head. "Yes. If you want I could ask him to whip us up some of his purple potato salad."

"HELL NO!" Marui, Niou and Kirihara yelled in perfect unison.

Rie raised a brow confused. "It's not that bad once you get your seventh or eighteenth time of eating it the stomach aches will soon subside."

"Sorry but that's one meal I'll pass." Niou said suddenly feeling nauseous.

Marui snickered.

"Hey" Marui snapped his fingers. "That incredible serve of yours by the way, we should give it a name." He said wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "That serve of yours reminded me of a gun so let me think."

"We should give it a name and Marui is very good at giving names for the special shots we have in tennis."

"That's right!" Marui grinned.

Kirihara couldn't help but agree. Marui really did have good naming sense and no doubt the baka-onna will soon agree with the name he'll give to the special shot of hers.

"Arigatou, senpai but I'd like to call my serve "Pistol Serve"." Rie said with a small smile.

"Pistol Serve?" Marui repeated. "That sounds too simple then how about "Pistol Release"? That's better."

"Sounds nice" Jackal agreed.

Rie shook her head. "Thanks but I'd still like to call it "Pistol Serve"." She said not noticing that the person who gave her that name was looking at her in disbelief.

"Well it's your choice anyway…" Marui shrugged his shoulders. "Well then "Pistol Serve" it is."

Rie smiled and nodded her head.

"We should be heading back to class right now." Yagyuu said. "It's almost time"

"See you guys later at practice."

"Hai!"

* * *

Kirihara waited by the entrance of the school gate. His eyes were searching for a certain eyepatch wearing freshman.

Their buchou had already shown the baka-onna what are the things to do in practice and she soon got the hang of it although he noticed that there were some cuts on her hand that weren't there during the time at the clubhouse. They were hidden well behind those long sleeves of her but he decided that they didn't mean anything so he shrugged it off.

When he saw who he was looking for he ran up to the person. "Oy, baka-onna"

Rie tilted her head. "What?"

"I'm walking you home." He said but to the freshman, it was more like a an order.

"No thanks" She said as she continued her way. "I'll be fine."

Kirihara's eye twitch as the girl walked past him. He was being a gentleman for pete's sake! "Oy!" He yelled running up to her. "Why did you still keep the name?"

Rie raised a brow.

"The name for that serve."

"Oh" she looked at him. "Simple. It's the name you gave to me." She said.

Kirihara was taken aback with what she had said. 'Not bad...' He looked at her for a few moments before he came back to reality. He smirked and then grabbed her bag before running away with her bag in his hands. "Whether you like it or not I'm still walking you home!" He shouted.

Rie sprinted after the seaweed-head boy who took her bag. "This isn't walking. This is running! You Seaweed head!"

"Whatever!" Kirihara laughed enjoying the chase he was giving the girl. 'So much for acting like a gentleman.'

Unbeknownst to the two, three figures observed them, amused. "Don't they look really cute together?" Yukimura asked.

Sanada raised a brow. "You think so?"

"There's a 90% you want them to end up together." Yanagi smiled.

Yukimura chuckled. "Yes I do but we still have to focus on Nationals…" Yukimura said seriously. "You know, I still feel bad on getting Rie-chan into this mess…something told me with the look on her eye this morning there was something more about her. I'm putting a lot of pressure on her."

"And being her senpai, we need to guide and take care of her." Yanagi said.

"Ah…" Sanada agreed. "Let's just continue on."

"Yeah" Yukimura nodded. 'But the look in her eyes told me of _rejection, fear and sadness…_ Just what is she hiding from us?'

And Yukimura knew that only time will tell until they find more about their 'Maiden'.

"OW!" Kirihara yelped as a shoe was thrown in his head letting go of the bag as he clutched his head.

"Bull's eye!" Rie cheered jumping up and down with her left leg raised since it was her left shoe she used to hit Kirihara on the head. "Take that!"

* * *

Hey, this is CrimsonLinkx here and sadly, the next chap will really take a long time since summer break is ending soon here and I'll soon be busy but I won't discontinue this story. Also, I've been lately really engrossed with the character songs of Rikkai Dai! They're really great singers and I suck at singing T^T.

Well enjoy!

The whole Maiden thing is all made up. I just thought Rikkai would be the type to hold traditions like that from my point of view.

Here's a preview of the next chapter:

_It's mixed club day and that would mean the regulars would have to pick other clubs than the tennis club for this special day and everything will just go smoothly if Yukimura hadn't listed all of the tennis regulars for the Theater Arts Club. Oh what will happen? Will Rie gain a new friend? And what? Kirihara's name was written in a different club without him or the others knowing and the club his name was listed on was..._

_"I can't believe he's doing this." Marui slapped his forehead groaning. "This is just...just...Who even listed his name for this?"_

_Niou cackled. "Who knows but I am not missing out on this!" He took out his phone and started recording. "You have some popcorn with you?"_

**Please Review!**

**I was really motivated!**


	9. Mixed Club Day

Surprise! Bet you didn't expect this~ I decided to write a new chapter for you guys.

So enjoy~

I'd like to also thank to the readers who reviewed : (Can I hug you all?)

xxxxihatepinkxxxx: Thanks, I really appreciate it!

Rin136: You don't have to wait anymore. Just like pair puri 8 but there's a twist here~ Though I'm also thinking of making a bonus chap about it. What do you think?

RenKun-Sensei: Yeah, it's going to end soon. T^T But good for you and good luck~

Sakura Ichigo Morihiko: O.O I'm touched...thank you. Really!

chillybean: Thank you so much!

xKurenaiBara: :)) Thanks and sure! You should try eating it sometime, they're delicious!

kawaii-witch181: Glad you appreciate it. I also get that a lot from one of my friends about the whole falling thing and yeah wish summer break will get extended.

Doc Deej: You'll just have to read to find out :)

xXRandomnessPrevailsXx: You think so? Thanks~ And Rie doesn't have feelings for Kirihara...yet. *smiles mischievously*

Oharu chicken: :)) Maybe Rie should...Thanks for the idea!

**I DO NOT OWN POT!**

* * *

Sanada and Yukimura walked together to school and the strict vice-captain couldn't help but feel at ease at the moment but there was something wrong…he was at ease _too_ much. Nothing bad was happing right now. He was enjoying the peaceful walk he was having with his close friend but the problem _was_ his close friend and captain, Yukimura Seiichi.

He was smiling which was something he always did but his smiles were slowly sending shivers down his spine and that meant something was about to happen. Yes, something was definitely going to happen. Sanada slowly took a few steps back from the sadist trying to think what was so special today that could make their captain change his behavior…wait!

The great and strong vice-captain of Rikkai Dai, Sanada Genichirou who was known for his courage and determination in the whole tennis circuit in Japan suddenly stopped in his tracks as he and all the color in his face was drained as realization had hit him like lightning.

Yukimura turned to look at his frozen vice captain and gave him his sadistic smile that promised them something not pretty. "Saa…you've already realized what today is right? Oh well, I'm not worried at all. This makes things easier." With that, Yukimura grabbed the back collar of Sanada's uniform from the back and dragged him all the way to school humming a sweet song imagining the reactions he'll be getting from his teammates once they find out what he has planned for them…and he was going to enjoy each and every one of their reactions.

While Sanada was being dragged all the way to school, one word ran through his mind.

'_Crap…'_

* * *

"Jackal" Marui called patting his doubles partner on the back. "Did you notice that we're missing members?"

"Yeah" Jackal replied. "But it looks more like everyone's missing."

Marui nodded drinking his favorite strawberry milk. "I wonder why. Even fuku-buchou's late. He's usually the earliest to come along with buchou. That's just weird."

The whole tennis court looked deserted…no regular in sight and the freshmen who were in charge of setting up the tennis nets were missing. The thought of members ditching practice immediately disappeared from his thoughts. He couldn't remember a time where they treated their kouhais wrong. It was their job as senpai to take care of their kouhais and guide them to a right path. Well sure Kirihara may be an exception but they did treat him nice to the point where he became the baby of their team. So why?

Marui was going to get a headache if he'll keep thinking too much.

"SENPAI!"

"Akaya?"

"Senpai!" Kirihara yelled running towards them. "Why are you guys here? Shouldn't you be hiding?" He asked in total disbelief.

Marui and Jackal blinked. "Are you okay?"

Kirihara stomped his foot on the ground. "NO I'M NOT OKAY!" He then jerked his index finger towards them, "And you guys are not supposed to be here. You're supposed to be HIDING." He emphasized with the word 'hide'.

"And why?" Jackal inquired suddenly feeling a bit worried.

Kirihara facepalmed. He pulled his bag towards him and took out what seemed like a planner, which was something the two were really surprised about. They didn't know Kirihara could have an organized schedule but sadly, they were wrong. As Kirihara flipped through the pages they found out that all of the pages were blank, nothing was written on it except for a certain page where there were big red letters written across it and to Marui's thoughts, he thought that those were made of a scented cherry red marker but it still didn't help with their confusion at all.

Kirihara started shoving his barely used planner at them. "Look at this!"

Marui and Jackal both raised a brow at the planner and inched closer to look at the largely written words all over the page making their eyes widen. Oh shiofhal… (I purposely typed this to describe how they felt right now. Yeah it's gibberish.)

Marui was about to spit out all the contents of the delicious strawberry milk in his mouth at the junior before him but Kirihara had cut him off. "Don't you dare" Kirihara growled. With that clear threat, Marui nodded dumbly and continued drinking and his mental groaning.

Jackal paled as he mentally groaned. How could he not know? 'Darn'

While being in the mental state of realization and shock, Kirihara took charge and grabbed their arms and dashed towards the school building yelling, "TO THE SAFEST PROTECTION BASE FOR THIS DAY!"

"TO BASE CAMP!" He shouted running like hell leaving a trail of dust with his two shocked senpais being dragged by him.

If you were wondering what was base camp, base camp is something Kirihara made as some sort of hiding place for all of the regulars except their buchou since their buchou himself is the reason why they were all hiding on this fateful day.

And base camp is…the third floor boy's rest room. Yeah the third floor boy's rest room was their safe haven and it was made sure it was only reserved for them since Kirihara woke up really early just to make sure he claimed the rest room for them.

You have to admire that.

* * *

"SAFE!" Kirihara breathed out as he and his senpais reached their base camp a.k.a. the third floor boy's rest room. "I brought them, senpai-tachi." Kirihara grinned as he showed the other regulars two dizzy Marui Bunta and Kuwahara Jackal.

Yagyuu raised his glasses and inspected his other teammates. "Kirihara-kun, I think you've overdone it."

Kirihara blinked. "Eh? What do you mean by that?"

"Look at them."

Kirihara turned his head. "Ah…are we there yet?" Marui asked trying to stand up but found it useless as his legs gave in and he fell down on top of Jackal who was also dizzy.

"They can't even stand properly."

Kirihara laughed nervously. "Sorry…"

"Ne, I have a plan to wake them up." Niou smirked. On each of his hands was a pail of bucket full of water. "They won't even know what hit them."

"Niou-kun, could you please another alternative which-" He eyed the pail of buckets. "doesn't ruin their uniforms from being soaked in too much water or get them sick afterwards?"

Niou faked a hurt expression. "Aw...you're no fun." He put down the buckets of water and took out a pen. "Fine, well here's your alternative."

"A pen?" Kirihara asked. "What good will that do?"

Niou looked at the brat of their tennis team. "I'm glad you asked, brat." He grinned as he slipped the pen on Marui's and Jackal's hand. Marui's hand was on the head while Jackal's was the end. "Now, just watch and learn"

As Marui's thumb slowly pressed the head of the pen earning a small 'click' it suddenly sent a bolt of shock throughout his whole body and the same with Jackal's. "AH!" Marui yelped as he quickly stood up and made it look like he wasn't dizzy at all. "What was that?" His whole body shook.

Niou smirked. "That, my friend, is what you call a shock pen. Once you press the head of this pen here, it will immediately send a bolt of shock throughout your whole body."

"Perfect for those unaware suckers, Piyo~"

"I don't want to know where you even use that." Marui said fixing his tie.

Niou shrugged his shoulders. "You never know when you need it, Puri"

"I believe everyone's here now." Yanagi coughed gaining their attention.

"Except for fuku-buchou"

"I saw him earlier with buchou." Marui pointed out. "He's already caught."

"Poor fuku-buchou"

"We can't do anything about it now." Kirihara said. "Yanagi-senpai, you got any plans?"

Yanagi shook his head. "We could always use the back door but there's an 85% chance buchou's made a trap there."

All of them sighed. "I definitely do NOT want to attend club right now. Especially what happened last time."

"Neither do we" Jackal shook his head.

'Why must our buchou be a sadist?' Marui thought. "Hey Yanagi," Marui called feeling suddenly nervous. "What are the chances of Buchou finding us here?"

Yanagi looked at his notebook. "Well the chances are-"

BAM!

Kirihara jumped away from the door. "Who's there?"

BAM!

"Sorry but the whole room is occupied."

BAM!

With that final blow, the door went crashing down sending signals to the whole occupants of the room on high alert.

"Look at what we have here." Yukimura smiled. "We have the other missing regulars, Genichirou. Looks like I win in this game of cat and mouse."

"B-b-buchou!" Marui stuttered. "What a surprise seeing y-you h-here." he started backing away.

"Me too" Yukimura said stepping forward. "Now why are you here?"

Niou chuckled nervously. "Um…because we were playing hide and seek?"

"I was not informed of this game. But seeing you all were hiding from me, I presume I was 'it'." He looked at all of them. "But now that I've found you. It looks like I win."

"Let's go" Yukimura ordered.

"Where?"

"To club of course" Yukimura answered.

"Um…which one?" Marui asked earning a smile from their buchou.

"That is something for me to know and for you to find out." Yukimura smiled moving to the side, allowing the person behind him to have a clear view inside the rest room.

"Senpai-tachi and Seaweed-san" Rie greeted but her upper body was hidden behind a bog box she was carrying.

"Rie-chan, yo!" Marui greeted, smiling nervously, remembering their position.

"Yo"

"Good morning"

Yanagi nodded. "Morning"

"Baka-onna"

Rie looked between her buchou and her other teammates back and forth until she stopped again on Yukimura. "So I guess buchou finally found you."

Yukimura nodded smiling.

"And you knocked the door down." The smaller girl looked at the fallen door.

"I was going to knock but I heard that they were hiding from me. So I decided to surprise them. We are going to have some fun later for the mixed club."

Rie blinked. "Mixed Club?"

"You didn't know? We don't have club today and instead we are going to sign up in a different club for the day." Yukimura explained. "But you weren't informed form what I see. And may I ask what's in the box?"

"Training gears" She replied showing him the big box.

"Here let me have it,"

Rie gently handed over the box to the trickster. "Careful, it's quite heavy."

"Nothing's too heavy for me, pur-ACK!" Niou yelped as the box was handed over to him. The 'seemingly' light box turned out to be a very heavy box full of who-knows-what. "What is in this thing?"

"Training gear" She quickly answered.

"More specific" Niou tried to carry the very heavy box. "More- Niou strained his voice trying to carry the box-… specific"

"Iron balls, roller skates…" She replied.

Marui's eye twitched. "And these are all…for training?"

Rie nodded. "These are some of the materials Clau told me to get for training." She then took out a list and gave them to Yukimura. "And that's the complete list."

Yukimura read the items on the list carefully and nodded. "I see. I'm looking forward on how you're going to use these items. Can I get a copy of this? I'm going to improvise some things." He smiled sadistically to which Rie took caution of. After all, she was also going to train with them as if she was a regular of the team. She knows some of the training methods they were going to use but Clau won't tell her everything.

'He said he'll be back soon.' She thought remembering her guardian was not really one of the 'average' or maybe even sane people on her list. 'He told me that he'll be training us once he comes back from Osaka. I just hope it doesn't have anything to do with a wood chipper.'

"Sure…" Rie replied hesitantly. She was suddenly getting cautious around him. She still remembered early morning when she first saw her new buchou and fuku-buchou, she was just walking towards the school when she caught a glimpse of blue hair and just as she thought, it was Yukimura-buchou…and he was dragging what seemed like a pale Sanada fuku-buchou by the back collar of his neck. She blinked and stared while the tennis captain told her to follow him.

The regulars paled at the tone of their buchou

"Saa…shall we go now? We still need to sign up before it's too late."

Yukimura walked towards the lobby with Sanada still being dragged.

"For our own safety, I think we should follow." Jackal whispered nervously.

Kirihara nodded, "I think so too. Let's go."

"But…this box" Niou muttered trying to carry the box.

"Leave it in the tennis club room." Marui replied. "Here, Akaya," He called. "Be a gentleman and accompany Rie-chan to the club room."

Kirihara protested. "Why me? I am not accompanying her!"

"Akaya, stop being a child and do it. We're your senpais and we know what's best for you."

Kirihara cursed under his breath and took the box from Niou. "FINE I'll do it-ACK!"

"Damn it, it's heavy!"

"No shit, sherlock" Niou mumbled.

* * *

Kirihara continued to grumble under his breath as he pushed the box towards the tennis club room with Rie beside him taking small steps to match his rate right now. 'Damn baka-onna…'

"I heard you." She said.

"I said that out loud, didn't I?" Kirihara asked looking to the side.

Rie replied with a blank look. "I'll take that as a yes." He mumbled and continued pushing the box.

Looking at the junior beside her, Rie sighed and tried to get his attention, "Seaweed-san,"

"I'm not a seaweed" Kirihara grumbled. "And what?"

Rie stretched out her two arms at him making him confused. "Now what? You want a hug? Well good luck at that you stupid girl." He snorted making the smaller girl twitch.

"Baka" She muttered kicking him. "I wasn't asking for a hug."

"Ow! Hey!" Kirihara winced. "Then what did you want?"

"I was going to help you" She replied.

"Che" Kirihara waved it off. "I'm fine on my own. I'm being a _gentleman_ here."

Rie raised a brow. "You were saying words a gentleman shouldn't three minutes ago."

The older boy glared at her. "And you're not a lady at all."

"Who said I was? I'm a girl."

"Not in my dictionary!"

"You don't even know how to use one."

"…So?" Kirihara crossed his arms over his chest. "Gah! Let's just get going." He exclaimed lifting the box then fell down on the ground because of the weight of it. 'Damn, I'm definitely sure I am not looking forward to next practice.'

Rie sighed and walked towards her senpai. Kirihara was trying to lift the box but found it difficult until the tenth try when the box suddenly became light. 'Looks like I managed to do it.'

His eyes widened when he saw the snow-white haired girl also lifting the box. He glared at her. "Let go. I can do this."

"Just let me help. You'll get injured if you continue this."

"I can do this."

"I know you can." She started. "But too bad I'm not listening to you, whether you like it or not I'm still helping you."

Kirihara looked to the side. "Whatever. Let's just do this."

"Of course" Rie smirked and continued lifting the box towards the club room.

* * *

"Akaya! Rie-chan!" Marui waved at the two from the immense number of people crowding the lobby to sign up to the clubs they would like to join for the day. "Over here!"

"Darn it, there's too many people here." Kirihara cursed as he tried to find openings to slip to go to their senpas' location. "Oy, baka-onna, this way!" He yanked the girl's arm and dragged her into the crowd and in the process gained a soft exclamation from the girl. "Itte"

"Look, they're almost here." Niou stated pointing to two figures.

"Yeah," Marui let out a low whistle. "And look at the crowd."

"From what I see, there's a 78% chance that most of the students are signing up for the tennis club." Yanagi mentioned observing the crowd.

"Yeah, poor suckers, they don't know what'll happen to them." Niou grinned.

Yagyuu sighed. "…Sadly, I also have to agree. Training isn't something that should be taken lightly of."

"Senpai!" Kirihara greeted having come out of the crowd of students. "We made it." He whispered, one hand on his knee, trying to catch his breath while his other arm held Rie's arm and just like him, the freshman was also tired.

"Rie-chan!" Marui exclaimed as he hugged the smaller girl making Kirihara let go of her arm. "You're here!" He then patted Kirihara's head. "And so is Akaya! I thought you guys weren't going to make it."

"Well here we are, alive and breathing." Kirihara grumbled feeling like he was a baby from the attention he was getting.

Sensing Kirihara's discomfort, Jackal made an excuse. "I think buchou's trying to call us."

"I think so too." Yagyuu agreed. "Let's go."

Everyone nodded.

"I wonder what club buchou threw us at this time." Marui mused. 'I hope it's not the English club again…Akaya almost went into bloodshot every time he heard the teacher say the word '_lizard'_ in English.'

* * *

"WE'RE IN WHAT CLUB NOW?" Niou and Marui exclaimed in unison.

"THEATER ARTS?" Niou looked at the piece of paper containing their names hoping that his stare would make the paper explode.

"I thought the theater arts needed fresh members." Yukimura said. "Besides, I found the play we're going to do is very exciting."

Marui raised a brow and snatched the paper away from Niou and looked at it closely. 'What the-'

"This is the play my classmates did for their project!"

"Exactly"

"But it sucked!" Marui waved his hands all around.

"Which is why I edited it, the director was very thrilled when he saw the adjustments I made." Yukimura distributed scripts to all the regulars. "Inside, you'll find your roles for the play."

"No auditions?" Jackal asked. "So sudden…"

"Wait! How come I'm a girl?" Marui looked again the paper to check if there was no mistake. "Why am I a girl? I'm a boy!" (It's the same as Pair puri 8 also known as Rikkai Festival where Marui had to play as Cinderella's step sister :) )

Niou laughed. "Cause you look like one."

"No one asked you!"

"But hey, Buchou isn't going to play?"

Yukimura nodded. "That's because I was given the position as Assistant Director. I'll be doing most of the work though but the good point is that the theater arts' members are going to be only us."

All the regulars sighed in relief.

"But why is Akaya's name not here?"

Yukimura raised his finger pointed upwards. "About that…there seems to be a problem. Somebody write Akaya's name in a different club and apparently, there's no backing out on that club."

Akaya was mentally jumping for joy but then their buchou had to say something else that made him fall down on the floor. 'Somebody, kill me now…' Was all he thought while his mind was trying to process if what he had heard was right over and over again, the others too, were too busy trying to process what they had heard making them look like statues for some show.

Marui dropped the lollipop he was eating.

Rie blinked then stifled a laugh.

Jackal for once in his life did not think about shaving his head for the play.

Niou was laughing like a maniac that just got out of a mental ward.

Niou's glasses _nearly_ fell as he was too flabbergasted.

Yanagi was at a loss of word while his hand was writing notes on his notebook without him knowing.

Sanada…well Sanada looked like fish. Period.

'Don't hold back. Kill me now.' Kirihara thought in misery.

* * *

All the Rikkai tennis regulars except for Kirihara sat on one of the benches in the stadium where they'll be witnessing Kirihara's practice in the club he was mistakenly signed up for. The latter was so against the idea of attending the club and had tried to object and change to another club but found it futile. The instructor was a strict man in his mid-thirties and had turned down all of the boy's objections of changing. He kept saying the words 'what was done is done' again and again to the junior.

So back with the regulars, I guess you can they were both curious and horrified save for some (including the person who did it).

"I can't believe he's going to do this." Marui slapped his forehead groaning. "This is just…just…who even listed his name for this?"

Niou cackled. "Who knows but I am not missing out on this!" He took out his phone and started recording. "You have some popcorn with you?"

"How can you even think about eating popcorn at a time like this?" Marui asked in disbelief. "Akaya is being forced on doing something he never thought he would have to." Then suddenly Marui's eyes widened. "Don't tell me…you…you"

"So you don't have any?" Niou asked feigning disappointment.

"You!" Marui jumped up from his seat. "You did this, didn't you?"

"Of course" Niou shrugged his shoulders. "I needed to get my revenge you know. Now are you really sure you don't have any popcorn with you?"

"NO I DON'T HAVE ANY!" Marui shouted. "How'd you even manage to do it?"

"Simple" Niou replied. "The teacher really thought it was Bakaya who signed up you know."

"Niou-senpai disguised himself as seaweed-san, right?" Rie asked looking at the two.

"Bingo" Niou smirked.

"You know Seaweed-san will find ways to get even with you." Rie pointed out.

"I know that." Niou waved it off carelessly. "But hey, I needed to do something for me. I had a pretty rough time yesterday."

"With what?" Jackal scratched his neck. "Now that I remember it, you were missing at school and practice yesterday."

"I asked him to do me a favor, isn't that right Niou?" Yukimura smiled at Niou which made the latter laugh nervously.

"Y-yeah"

"And what is that favor?" Sanada asked skeptically. He had a bad feeling about this favor though something told him that he was going to enjoy it anyway.

"Secret" Yukimura replied. "Now let's enjoy Akaya's practice now."

"B-but Buchou, Akaya doesn't even know a thing."

"Akaya's flexible." Niou smirked. "He'll be okay."

"Define okay" Rie looked at the stadium where the instructor was.

"You'll find out, piyo~"

Have you guessed what club Kirihara was placed in? Well if not, here are some hints. First, it's a performance dance. Second, the dance is primarily accompanied with a classical music. Third, (and the easiest clue) the female dancers wear tutus for this.

"Un, deux, troix" The instructor repeated. "Un, deux, trois" (*)

That's right. It's ballet. A ballet class for males to be exact. The trickster had tricked the junior ace into a ballet class. A club which is the second last of the clubs he will attend just next to English club. One of the main reasons why the junior didn't want to go to that club was because…of the tights. Kirihara just didn't feel comfortable with the tights AND he definitely wasn't graceful. Witnesses a.k.a. the regulars have seen it first hand.

"All right!" The instructor, Mr. Sasagawa snapped his fingers. "Hold on to the barre (a horizontal bar) for support."

"You do know, Akaya is going to embarrass himself right?" Marui asked.

"He already knows that." Yanagi comfirmed.

Yukimura chuckled. "Well I'm sure Akaya will be just fine. This is for the experience."

"He may be able to learn to become graceful." Niou added.

"I doubt that" Jackal said. "What are they going to do next?"

"A plié" Rie answered.

"A what?"

"Plies are performed at the barre because they stretch all the muscles of the legs and prepare the body for the exercises to follow. Plie's train the body in shape and placement." Yagyuu explained getting 'oh' from the others.

"How do you know that, Rie-chan?" Marui asked.

"From someone I know." Rie replied. "And before senpai asks me, I don't do ballet. I'm not really graceful."

"Demi plié" Sasagawa-sensei showed the movement. "Follow me"

"H-hai" Kirihara stuttered following the movement as gracefully as he can.

* * *

"The idiot's doing good." Niou clapped his hands. "Wonder how long this'll go."

'This is going to get bad…' Yagyuu thought.

"But I still think what I did was worse." Marui whispered to Jackal's ear.

"You mean the part where you were almost killed by your childhood friend? It was touching actually."

Marui raised a brow. "What makes you think it was touching? He (Niou as the childhood friend) tried to kill me to show his undying love for me!"

"I still feel jealous of Rie-chan. All she had to do was say 'Nya' whenever it was her line."

"She's a cat." Jackal rolled his eyes.

"Still, why did I get to play as a female?" Marui whined.

Twenty minutes later...

'Why didn't somebody kill me?' Kirihara thought as he miserably tried to follow the steps. What was the last one called? A big? A deluxe? No, a grand plié! That's right a grand plié.

As he did a grand plié, his eyes wandered to a nearby wall clock. 'Just ten minutes to go. My body may be flexible but I won't be able to hold on much longer…'

"Now let's go to the Arbesque position." Sasagawa-sensei extended his right leg behind the body with the knee straight with the other leg supporting the body.

'Darn it…' Kirihara thought as he tried to do it. 'Just ten more minutes…'

"Kirihara, straighten your leg more." Sasagawa-sensei ordered. "Be more graceful" 'I'm not graceful!'

He's making things worse for him! Although it's a good thing he didn't have to wear any tights.

'So this is my limit?' Kirihara thought to himself. 'Aaargh…if I have to become number one then I need pass something as easy as this too. Come on, I can do it-!'

BAM!

"Sasagawa-sensei!" The school principal's assistant, Ms. Itari slammed the door open looking really frantic.

"Yes, what is it?" Sasagawa-sensei raised a brow. "I'm very busy right now."

'Busy trying to kill me.' Kirihara thought stretching his leg more. 'Ah…'

"It's an emergency!" Ms. Itari said waving her hands. "I r-received a phone call about your y-you're grandmother!"

"M-my grandmother?"

"The doctor said that she is in a very critical condition. She also said you being there can make a difference. Please give her moral support!"

"E-excuse me but I my grandmother is in-"

"He's not going?" The school registrar asked suddenly appearing. "But you're grandmother broke her leg trying to find the missing locket you lost last month ago while looking at the attic."

"Sasagawa-sensei, please do not make a decision that you'll regret in your life."

"It's not too late." Ms. Itari said.

"But she's in-" Sasagawa-sensei tried to reason.

"Is he going?" Another one joined.

The ballet instructor sighed in exasperation. "Excuse me" He then faced the class. "Club meeting is over."

"Now will you excuse me" He passed by the three ladies as he headed for the exit hoping for his 'grandmother' to be okay, who is actually in her house, practicing how to do the tango. Don't ask me why.

Kirihara sighed in relief. 'Done'

"It's done already?" Niou repeated a bit disappointed. "But I got what I real wanted anyway." He looked at his phone. 'Blackmail, puri~'

"Club is already done. Let's leave as well." Yukimura said standing up.

"Hai"

"Never underestimate ballet"

"Let's go home."

* * *

Rie grabbed her things in her classroom and then went for the stairs and was suddenly pushed down the stairs. 'Eh?' Her eyes widened as she felt the strong force on her back as she was pushed. Luckily enough, someone was there in time to grab her arm and pull her back to safety.

"That was close." A voice sighed in relief. Rie looked up to see a girl probably a third year by her looks. She had wavy dark green hair that reached he shoulders and slightly tanned skin with dark blue eyes. She was sort of attractive. The girl smiled at her before glaring at the two girls before them.

"You two should mind your own business and leave this girl alone." She glared at them. "You two give the word 'senpai' a bad name."

"Chikako" One of them growled. "Don't protect- she looked at Rie with disgust- this girl. She's going to be nothing but a burden to Yukimura-sama."

The girl, Chikako smirked. "Oh yeah? Well I'm not hearing Yukimura-_sama_ say such a thing."

"You're just jealous because this girl got the position of being the 'Maiden' and not one of you." She snorted.

Rie observed the two critically and thought, 'Fangirls…the obsessive ones, great' She thought with sarcasm.

"Now be a dear and leave." She said waving them off.

The two girls gave one last glare to Rie and said, "This isn't over…" then left.

Chikako looked down at the smaller girl and grinned. "What's up, my name is Yumegi Chikako, a third year,"

Rie nodded. "And I'm-"

"Arianna Rie, the 'Maiden' of the Rikkai Tennis team. You're the talk of the school or more importantly, the fan club." She said.

'Great now I'm the hitting target of the fan club. Just my luck.' Rie sighed. "Obviously…" She looked up at the taller girl. "Thanks…"

"No problem" Chikako ruffled her hair rather hard and waved. "See you around…I guess."

Rie stared at the girl. "That was weird." 'Something's odd with her…really odd.'

Rie sighed and started going down the stairs. "I guess things are going to get harder for me-Ah!" She gasped as she slipped on something. 'Water? Must be them.' She thought as she rubbed her back.

* * *

"Baka-onna!" Kirihara yelled.

Rie raised a brow hands behind her back. "I'm walking you home."

Rie smirked. "Is this going to be some kind of thing that's going to happen again and again?"

"Don't count on it but for the meantime…" He glared at her. "Yeah"

"Whatever" Rie said as she went to a trashbin and threw a paper.

Kiriharah's eyes widened. "Is that a bruise?"

Rie looked down on her knee and saw a bruise. "I guess so. I fell down the stairs."

Kirihara looked in doubt for a moment. "Whatever, let's get going."

"I'll be on my own."

Kirihara's eye twitched. "Hey, my body is aching after that ballet class. It strained my body!"

"Good thing you didn't already strained your body from carrying that box earlier."

"Aargh… but you're treating me to ice cream since I'm walking you home. Be grateful!"

"Don't count on it."

"Then I want rocky road with extra marshmallows and…" Kirihara continued.

"I said I'm not buying…" Rie replied blankly. "I didn't even agree to this whole 'walking me home' thing"

"Come on!"

Rie smirked and continued on her way with a whining Kirihara beside her and said junior didn't know that the piece of paper the freshman threw contained the cellphone numbers of the assistant of the school principal and the school registrar.

_Ring~ _

_Ring~_

_Ring~_

"What?" Kirihara's and Rie's phone both rang in unison. "What's this?"

"A picture?"

They both opened it and the image they were seeing right now surprised the living soul in them. "What the heck?" Kirihara gawked.

"Uh" Rie breathed out. "Niou-senpai?"

"Aren't they the Association of Stupid Scientists?"

Kirihara bonked her head. "No you stupid girl. It's the P.M.S. people. What are they doing?"

"In a gorilla habitat?" Rie noticed that they were tied up in a rope and were sort of running away from a gorilla with bananas in their mouth.

"_I had a pretty rough time yesterday."_

"_A favor"_

"_Secret"_

Rie tilted her head. "So this was the favor Niou-senpai did for buchou…getting revenge on the P.M.S."

The two looked at each other for five seconds before shrugging their shoulders and went on their way deciding to ignore the P.M.S. who are currently still locked up being chased by a gorilla. (Gotta love gorillas) And if you pay more attention you'll be able to hear the cry of help of the said club.

"_HELP US!"_

* * *

Well that's it! Also I got the information about ballet in Wikipedia and the internet so I don't own the explanations :b. I got the idea of using ballet while watching this anime called 'Yamato Nadeshiko, the wallflower' when three girls started practicing ballet. It's hilarious!

I also thought that Kirihara's personality will be like that when added with ballet. Yeah it's weird...

(*) un, deux, trois, - one, two, three in French.

Please review and I don't also mind opinions~

Until next time~


	10. Bloodshot and fear

Hey guys! Surprised? I'm still alive!

School's started for me and I am so stressed. I still have to attend on Saturdays for my club meetings! And boy did my head hurt!

Oh yeah, I've been receiving comments about Kirihara and ballet and if you wanted to know how I got that idea, well blame the dream I had and cookies (do not forget cookies! They're the main reason!) and well...this is Niou who we're talking about. Expect the unexpected.

I DO NOT OWN POT!

**I'd like to thank the readers who reviewed and added this fic to their favourites or me to their favourite authors! Free hugs if you want!**

xKurenaiBara: Yeah, Sasagawa was the first name I could think that I'd agree to. Saturdays...

Doc Deej: Surprise! :))

kawaii-witch181: Thanks and sorry for the wait!

chained2love: Thank you for the support!

Sakura Ichigo Morihiko: Never underestimate Niou! Yeah!

RenKun-Sensei: Thanks! The extended ending came from my sister and the gorilla was something I just added.

Neko-Renku: Thank you! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

Bishounendaisuki: Thanks and I'm a gal :))

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Weeks have passed and the training of Rikkai Dai's tennis team stepped up into a new level of pain and blades. Yes, you didn't hear (or read) wrong, blades. Who knew wearing roller skates to move around the court could improve one's agility? The Rikkai tennis regulars just found out that a _seemingly_ harmless and small freshman girl could be the main definition of 'Don't judge a book by its cover'. She even made them use iron balls as heavy as a bag full of books to shooting targets. Oh yeah…did I also mention that for some mysterious reason, Rie also got hold of Inui's "special" juices in one big bottle with a note on it saying, _'Homemade health juice, the best there is, use it well~ From: Anonymous giver who believes that a healthy team is the key to a productive training.' _And Mr. Anonymous health fan is none other than their blue-haired captain/sadist who thought that he should get some sort of motivation for the regulars to train more seriously, like something that would give them a run to the hills.

So the special _juice_ that Seigaku's Inui had developed was the answer to that and all he had to do was pull some strings and _voila_! He got it. And sure enough, it gave them a run to the hills. Heck! It almost looked like it gave them a run for their life…and reputation. I don't know which surprised them more, the sickly moving green and yellow _semi-liquid_ inside it that screamed "Eat me and suffer one month of constipation" or the sudden collapse of a non-tennis regular who had mistaken his water for a bottle of the _juice_ who suddenly looked black and blue after he drank from it...literally. But the point is. it worked. The time the non-tennis regular touched the ground, Somebody grabbed Rie's hand and dragged her to running laps with them, which was something she was supposed to do since she was also training. Yukimura smiled inwardly giving one low whistle at the sight of his teammates running like hell.

The juice was a good choice.

"You know, that juice reminds of Clau's lemonade," Rie mused. "it had those weird blotches of unmixed paint similar to it but it was…purple. I wonder if it tasted like it." Rie finished not noticing that the people near her started quickening their pace leaving her behind.

"I'M NOT DRINKING IT!"

Oh yes, it was.

And even though things get into a mess, Yukimura could still see the improvement within the team. The fanclub of the tennis team began to harass the freshman in ways people won't be able to notice. The harm they have done is small but it keeps getting worse. Yagyuu, the regular of the tennis team that has first-aid training had been treating cuts on her hand everyday and was already suspicious on her claims that it was because she tripped on her way to the club room because the cuts on her hands were too clean to have become the result of some accident like tripping. Yukimura was also suspicious of this but he kept quiet…for now.

He wants to know how Rie will handle this. A Maiden is a strong-willed and a determined female. He would have to sit and observe on what her plan will be.

* * *

_Lunch Break_

_Rikkai Fuzoku_

"Whoa" Marui stretched his arms. "I'm still tired from morning practice."

Jackal raised a brow. "How come? You've slept through the whole time."

"Whatever. My body is still tired." Marui waved it off. "Damn, those roller skates are really heavy."

"I agree" Niou rubbed his back. "And that's something I don't do often."

"Hey!"

"Piyo~" Niou smirked.

"Mou" Kirihara whined. "I don't want senpais to ruin my lunch!"

Niou ruffled the boy's hair. "Aw…we won't ruin your lunch, brat. We just want to ruin your time."

"Either way, it's still the same." Kirihara frowned and quickly snatched his bento box away from the agile hands of the net specialist, Marui Bunta. "You won't be stealing my food, Marui-senpai." He stuck out his tongue.

Marui looked to the side and crossed his arms over his chest. "Lucky brat…"

Sanada's eye twitch. "Keep quiet!"

"Yes, fuku-buchou"

Marui closed one of his eye and looked at Rie who was opening her own meal. "Rie-chan!"

Rie looked at the red head.

Marui looked suspiciously at her lunchbox. "Is that a meal made by your guardian?"

Rie shook her head. "He's still at Osaka."

Marui sighed in relief. "That's good." He glanced at her meal. "Are you still having onigiri?"

"Hai"

Marui suddenly appeared before her. "So you made it yourself?"

"Hai"

He then started giving her his best puppy dog eyes.

"Ah…" Niou mused, "The weakest point of every fangirl, the puppy dog eyes, done by the person whom they are fangirling over~"

"It is but, Rie is not a fangirl remember?" Yanagi noted.

Marui was still giving her the 'look' and straight to her eyes but of course, Rie over here is immune to these charms and the living example of that statement is none other than the great Atobe Keigo. And At the moment sparkling bubbles started appearing behind Marui and was going to infect Rie, her automatic anti-charm icon defense system kicked in and immediately zapped the bubbles popping them into oblivion.

Rie looked at her Senpai blankly.

Marui stared back.

Rie yawned.

Marui opened his eyes more adding more "charming" effect.

Some mentally groaned.

"…"

"…"

"Enough!" Kirihara groaned. "What do you need from the baka-onna, senpai?"

Marui scratched the back of his head. "Can I have one?"

Kirihara tried to stop the urge to bang his head on a tree. Honestly…

"I..guess so" Rie replied.

Marui grinned. "Thanks." He opened the lunchbox and took one round onigiri. "A round onigiri?"

Kirihara snickered. "Careful senpai, it might be poisoned."

Rie ignored his last comment.

Marui shrugged his shoulder. "Don't judge a book by its covers."

Marui took a small bite of the onigiri. "Hm…"

"So? How is it?" Jackal asked.

Marui grinned. "Deliciou-"

"Bunta?"

No answer…

"Oy"

_Silence_

"Are you okay?" Jackal lightly shook his doubles partner's shoulder. "…hey"

THUD

"Marui!"

"It's-it's…" Marui mumbled as unconsciousness took over his body as the round onigiri touched the ground.

"I hate to say this but" Kirihara chewed on one of his tuna sandwich. "I told you so"

All the regulars stared at the round onigiris that caused their net specialist's collapse.

Yukimura smirked. "This special gift could become of use…" Everyone felt a shiver run down their spine. 'Uh-oh'

*Smiles mischievously* Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that Rie is a very bad cook? Nope? Well now you know. Oh wait-to be more specific she couldn't cook to save her life. Trust me with this one. She tried to learn to cook but it always led to combustions. There was also a time when her father tried to teach her and had threatened to hit her using a bamboo sword if she couldn't even make a simple onigiri. Everything went well scratch the fact that they had to buy another rice cooker because the old one refused to work properly and Rie had to retort to pressing the buttons too hard and it resulted to the same thing, it went on fire. And Rie didn't get hit by the bamboo sword because it too caught on fire. Lucky!

And back to the regulars, Jackal was the one who carried Marui to the nurse's clinic to rest and the rest continued to eat their lunches but this time they more cautious.

"Rie-chan"

"Hai?'

"Stick on cafeteria food." Niou patted her on the back. "It's good for your health."

"…Hai"

* * *

"_Rie-chan" Yukimura called to the freshman. "Come here for a moment."_

"_Something wrong?" Rie raised a brow._

_Yukimura looked at the girl. "How are you faring in school?"_

"_Fine" Rie replied. 'Rather than the fact that I just got ambushed by some fan girls before classes started and had threatened that they'll make my life a living hell if I don't back out on being the Maiden of the tennis club and that I failed my Algebra exam everything's fine.'_

'_I hate Math…' Rie thought. _

_Yukimura saw through her lie and nodded. "I'm going to tell you something later .It's about the regulars' abilities. Study their specialties well…especially Akaya's. When in match, he can't be controlled easily." He said seriously._

"Seaweed-san…" Rie went out of her classroom. "Abilities and weaknesses"

"…_especially Akaya's. In match...he's not easily controlled."_

'Observation, huh? I'm going to thank Clau for this-!' Rie slipped on a banana and fell face-first onto the floor. "Ouch…" She muttered.

"Aw…that's all?"

"I told you it supposed to o the stairs."

"She was supposed to fall down the stairs!"

'Stupid obsessive fan girls…' She grumbled fixing herself. 'They did this…'

"Rie-chan!" Marui waved. He casually walked towards the smaller girl and blinked. "What are you doing on the floor?"

"I thought I saw something." She replied.

"That's weird." Marui mumbled. "Anyways, we should get to practice. I don't want to run extra laps!" He put his hands on his waist.

Rie was confused. "Um…senpai."

"Yes?"

"Sorry…about what happened." She sincerely apologized. "I didn't know it would happen."

"Huh?" It was Marui's turn to be confused. "What do you mean by that? I'm fine!"

"What?" Rie turned her head to look at the person behind Marui, Jackal, who was waving his hands in the air in a gesture of saying 'Don't say anything!' "Nothing" She responded blankly.

Marui grinned and ruffled her head. "You're weird." And he started walking towards the tennis courts. "Let's go guys"

Jackal knelt down to her ear and whispered, "The nurse said that the knockout must have caused him to forget about the whole incident."

"Oh…"

* * *

_Tennis Courts_

_Rikkai Fuzoku_

"Yanagi-senpai?" Rie looked up.

"Yes?" Yanagi scribbled data on a clipboard.

"Why am I here again?"

"Because you're the Maiden of the tennis club." Yanagi replied not looking at the smaller girl.

"That's not what I meant." She scratched the back of her neck. "Why am I here instead of training? I still need to check the training menu."

"But you're wearing weights." Yanagi finally looked at the freshman. "Yukimura told me that you should watch the practice matches of the regulars with me."

"I believe he talked to you about observing the abilities and weaknesses of the regulars, am I right?"

Rie nodded.

"From the data I've collected" Yanagi looked at the clipboard. "You have a remarkable gift in observation."

"Huh?" Rie raised a brow. "I was just analysing things. There's nothing remarkable about it."

"When you were in elementary you had the habit of observing all your classmate's behaviour and habits." Yanagi stated. "You even had a list of their behaviours and habits which you then burned at the age of eight."

"People would say you were some kind of stalker if they found out."

"And all that information you just said doesn't make you stalker material?"

"Touche"

Rie took a step back from the data master. 'I was at Italy during that time. How could he know that?'

Yanagi noticed this and chuckled. "Don't worry. I won't be sharing this information with anyone else." 'That is…if needed.'

Rie was still wary of what he said.

"The truth is..." Yanagi started.

"I'd like to see how good this ability of yours is." Yanagi pointed to one of the courts. "Observe the practice match between Marui and that senior over there."

Rie followed and her eyes caught some things. 'Years of pure torture...'

"It's not really something special." Rie frowned. "I can't immediately make a deduction for their behaviour. I need time to observe them."

"We can do something about that," Yanagi mused gaining a confused look from the freshman. "Well then, try telling me something about Marui." He glanced at the continuing match between the red head regular and some third year who was losing badly.

_Constant consumption of sweets…_

_Before matches… and usually one of the last to finish their laps along with me._

"Hm…" Rie scratched her head. "Senpai's enormous amount of food intake especially sweets would mean that he has a low stamina or he's really just hungry."

"Good. It seems you've already been trained." Yanagi continued writing on a piece of paper. "A mentor?"

"My father and my guardian." Rie replied. "They said that it would become handy someday."

"Yes it is." Yanagi nodded and handed her a piece of paper. "Read this"

"A training menu? For what?"

"You're hyper-observant. We can use that ability of yours in practice and you can use it to your advantage as well in a match." Yanagi stated. "Genichirou should be observing the match between Niou and Yagyuu. You should go and take notes." Yanagi handed her a small notebook and a pen. "It's time you start using it for something that will benefit you."

"Like taking notes like you, senpai?"

"Yes, any problems?"

"Ie…" Rie sighed. "Hai" Then walked away.

"Rie"

"Hai?"

"Look at where you're walking." Yanagi kept his (closed) eyes on the match.

"Huh?" She blinked and looked down. 'A banana peel? You've got to be kidding me.'

"Arigatou, senpai"

As the snow-white haired girl started walking towards the vice-captain of the Rikkai tennis team, a figure walked towards the data master and smiled. "You finally found a worthy apprentice?" The blue haired captain asked.

"Perhaps…" Yanagi continued to observe the matches.

Yukimura smiled. "Let's see how good her observation skills are."

* * *

"Yagyuu-senpai's play style resembles the way golfers swing their club…" Rie wrote down on her notebook. "…So…" She continued writing.

Sanada sighed and rubbed his temples. Sure he heard from the girl that the team's data master gave her that notebook and told her to jot down notes that could be useful for their team but he should've taught her first on how to do it properly. She was saying what she was writing down on her notebook OUTLOUD. Although, her voice may be soft and quiet this would still prove to be a big problem if they were in a match and the other teams would be able to hear her (if they somehow have bionic ears). Also, she should be…taking more important notes rather than what was obvious.

The stoic vice-captain was starting to doubt what his friend told him about the younger girl having a very sharp ability of observation. Sanada sighed, he should've expected this. She was only a child, twelve to be exact. They already got her in this mess because of the principal's sudden order of needing a Maiden.

"Niou senpai's…" Rie continued writing on the small notebook.

Sanada sighed again.

* * *

Kirihara smirked triumphantly as he defeated another their year in record time. All of those matches ended in a 6 games to 0. 'Who's weak now?' Kirihara walked towards the club room to get some fresh towels when he heard a group of tennis members talking behind a large tree. He would've ignored them but his attention was drawn when he heard his name mentioned.

Kiirhara hid behind the tree and listened to what they were saying only for him to find out that he was their main topic.

"Oy, did you hear what happened to Akaya during the mixed club day?" One of them asked.

All of them nodded. "Poor guy… I read it at the club room bulletin board."

One of the guys even chuckled. "Yeah! That was hilarious!"

Kirihara's eye twitched.

"Yeah! Speaking of him, what do you think about that girl? What was she called again? Oh yeah!" Kirihara's eyes narrowed. " Maiden"

Somebody snorted. "Yeah right, the girl's just a big joke. I can't believe they let her in the team as the Maiden. She's plain. If I were in their position, I would've just chosen the other girl who wanted to be the Maiden. Now, she is hot!"

"Yeah you're right! But they still rejected her application."

Kirihara faked vomit and was about to leave. 'Stupid pervs…'

"Let's just forget about that girl. What about Akaya, do you think he's really changed?"

"Nah…he doesn't have a chance of changing. Once a devil, always a devil."

"Remember that time he injured the captain of that team, Fudomine!"

"Yeah, that was cruel… Even if we did saw that he didn't hurt that American boy, Smith in the "Good Will Games" I still don't believe it."

"But what can we do? Buchou is taking care of him because he's the future captain of the team. Let him get spoiled all he wants and when the time comes he'll soon realize the truth."

Kirihara slid down against the tree when he heard what they were talking about. Can't they see that he has changed?

"_Tennis is not a tool used to hurt others…"_

"_Devil…"_

"_Leave me alone!"_

Kirihara gritted his teeth remembering what happened during the Kantou Tournament. He was not the person he was before. He's changed.

'I'm still having problems in controlling myself but I will not allow my other self to take over me…Damn bastards…' Kirihara closed his eyes and stood up and turned to face them from behind the tree.

"If you guys want to say something then say it to my face." Kirihara narrowed his eyes at them.

"!"

* * *

"Rie-chan!" Yukimura called gaining the attention of Rie, Niou, Yagyuu, Jackal and Sanada. "Let's go talk about the next training!"

"H-hai!" Rie ran towards the captain unknowingly leaving the small notebook in Sanada's hands.

Jackal blinked. "I can't believe she left her notebook."

Niou shrugged his shoulder. "Hey, I heard from fuku-buchou that she still needed to train her observation skills, so there's not much to see in that notebook, right?"

Yagyuu fixed his glasses. "What do you think, Sanada-kun?"

The stoic vice-captain skimmed through the pages of the notebook until his eyes landed on pages. "This is…"

"This is what?" Niou took the notebook from him and his eyes widened. "Well look at this…" He gave a low whistle.

"Maybe Rie-chan has a few tricks up her sleeves."

"_90 degrees… Left swing is a bit off… The grip is not correct…" And so on…_

Niou was about to give it back to their vice-captain when he saw another interesting thing.

"_Oh, Niou-senpai kept on saying a lot of 'puris' lately and his jersey had some small spot of orange paint on his right sleeve, he must have did a successful prank…most probably to fuku-buchou. There's this faint spot of orange on the lower part of his shirt."_

"I'm surprised she noticed it, piyo~"

Niou smirked.

Sanada fumed.

Yagyuu sighed.

Jackal slapped his forehead. 'Here we go again…'

"Oh look, buchou's calling me. I gotta go, see ya~" Niou ran to the two.

"NIOU!"

"So you're the one who squirted me with orange scented ink during lunch! TARUNDORU!"

"Yo Rie-chan!" Niou patted her on the head when he finally caught up to her. "You needed something from me, buchou?"

Yukimura chuckled. "No I did not."

"Then I guess somebody is playing tricks with my ears." Niou put his finger inside his ear in a gesture as if to clean it.

'Maybe it's senpai who's playing tricks.' Rie thought.

"Oh well, what's done is done." Niou shrugged his shoulders and stopped to look at the smaller girl. "What's that on your head?"

"Huh?" Rie touched her head only to feel something weird. She took it and looked at it to see what it was. "A cockroach... a plastic one." She said blankly earning a twitched from the trickster.

"Aw...come on! Don't tell me you're not scared of it."

"It's not real. It's fake."

"Then tell me what you're afraid of."

"And use it against me? I don't think so." Rie replied.

"Hey- the ball of fat? He seems really tired."

Rie stopped and saw the net specialist running towards them with a bewildered look. 'What's wrong?'

"BUCHOU! THIS IS BAD! AKAYA-HE-HE!"

"He what?" Yukimura narrowed his eyes. 'Could he have...'

'Seaweed-san?'

"He went into bloodshot mode against three seniors at the same time!" Marui panted.

"One against three? The brat did what now?" Niou's eyes widened. "He's getting even more stupid by the minute!"

"Wait a second, Niou. I'm sure there's a reason for this but for now, let's go stop it." Yukimura ordered in a serious voice. 'If this continues...'

'What's happening?' Rie ran up to the three senior as they ran to one of the tennis courts. 'Is Seaweed-san in trouble?'

* * *

"I'LL PAINT YOUR BODY RED TOO!" Kirihara yelled as he returned another serve and had returned it will no effort at all.

"AKAYA!" Marui's eyes widened at what happened to their junior ace. "What...the...hell"

"Oy!" Niou tried to shake the red head out of his shock but only found himself stiffen at the sight of Kirihara.

They were expecting injured seniors but what they saw were quite the opposite. The seniors looked definitely fine and untouched except that they were really tired and instead they found one Kirihara Akaya with red eyes...who looked like he was ran over by a bus.

HE WAS BLEEDING!

"I'LL CRUSH YOU!" Kirihara gripped the slightly blood-tainted tennis ball and served scaring the hell out of the three seniors.

Watching the match, Yukimura slowly emitted a dark aura and narrowed his eyes at two freshmen spectators. "What happened here?"

As expected, the two were scared and looked at each other. "A-ano...Kirihara-senpai and the three are having a match."

"I can clearly see that." Yukimura cut in, narrowing his eyes even more. "The answer I needed was 'How did it happened?'."

"E-e-to...At first they were having a normal match with Kirihara-senpai and one senpai but another one joined because the other was losing badly..." The first one started.

"And Kirihara-senpai was okay with it until the last one joined but they were still losing badly until they started hitting Kirihara-senpai with their serves until he was already bleeding and that's when his eyes started turning red." The second finished.

"Renji" Yukimura called to his team's data master. "Do you have any important information about those _three_?"

Yanagi nodded. "Yes"

"Good. We'll need it."

"Shouldn't we stop them, buchou?" Jackal asked.

Yukimura shook his head. "This is something Akaya has to do. I believe he won't even listen to me if I were to stop him. They must have said something to anger him so much. Let him finish his match."

Jackal reluctantly nodded. "H-hai, I understand."

Yukimura then turned his head to the girl behind him who didn't speak nor move in her position the entire time. "Rie..."

Sanada and Yanagi turned their heads to look at her too and they had the same reaction as their buchou. Shocked.

The snow white haired girl, the girl who didn't speak a lot or showed a lot of emotions was frozen her spot...like a statue. She would still have looked the same as she always did if not for her trembling hands and her eyes...were fear-stricken.

Yanagi opened his eyes for the first time since he had met the girl. "She's not afraid of Akaya's bloodshot mode."

"No, if she was, she would've been already asking for answers but instead she kept quiet. There is an 87% chance that it is something else."

"She's afraid of blood...seeing someone's blood." Sanada finished.

Yukimura knelt down in front of the smaller girl and lightly shook her shoulders. "Rie"

No response.

Yukimura looked into her eye and saw nothing but fear. It was as if she was in a trance, a dream, a nightmare. 'This is bad.'

"Look out!"

A stray ball had almost hit them. "Akaya's serves are too strong for those three to handle and ended up going to other directions!"

"But the match just ended with his win!" Marui reasoned out. "He's getting out of control."

Marui ducked as another stray ball flew past him hitting a wooden bench.

"I'm going to do something about this." Yanagi stated and walked towards the junior.

"Yanagi!"

"Don't" Sanada stopped Marui. "He's one of the only people who can get him out of his bloodshot mode."

As Yanagi walked towards the tennis court, the three seniors immediately stood up and ran away.

Sanada sighed in relief. It's a good thing those three fools were gone.

"Buchou!"

"Dodge!"

"!"

BAM!

Yukimura had successfully managed to dodge a tennis ball that was going straight at him but what surprised him was the sound of a body falling to the ground. He quickly turned his head to look at Rie but only found her body, unconscious on the ground.

"RIE!" Marui and Niou ahouted.

"..."

* * *

**Cliffhanger!**

So what do you guys think? Sorry if I took too long. School's back and I've been so busy with homework. On the very first day of school I already had to do an assignment for Biology. T^T I'm stressed and sort of...mad.

So the next chapter will take a longer time to write. Please support me! :)) The Rikkaimyu backstage rocks!

Thanks for the reviews again!

**Notes: If you guys don't remember, the prologue stated that Rie had been observing her classmates from afar and that's when she started developing her ability of observation. Although her observation skills may be sharper than others, she still fails her tests (especially math) except for English and arts. Yanagi's skill is still better than hers. So it's like Yanagi's her master and she's the apprentice. And yes, she can't really cook. Poor Marui...**

**So the next chapter previews:**

***Rie had to stay home because of injury.**

***The Rikkai tennis regulars finally meet Clau and learn more about Rie.**

***Kirihara gets punched in the gut**

**Just message me if you have any questions! Ooh and also opinions would be nice!**

**Please review: Get your punching gloves here and whack the review button! Jokes XD (You got to love the review button sometimes)**


	11. Apologies and a kiss

I'm back! And I'm still alive!

Sorry if it took too long. Hope you guys like it!

(And there are going to be some KiriharaxOC scenes here)

Also,

Thank you to the following readers who reviewed the last chapter (Can I seriously hug you guys?):

xbamsod

Chillybean

Sakura Ichigo Morihiko: I sent you a private message. You can check it out :)

kawaii-witch181

Doc Deej

ShamelesslyUsed

xKurenaiBara  
SoulSilverShipping

Enjoy~

* * *

_Rikkaidai Fuzoku_

_Tennis courts_

Tennis practice was still heavy in the famous tennis courts of Rikkai Fuzoku. The regulars were currently playing a match against each other.

Marui and Jackal pair against Niou and Yagyuu pair.

Sanada was playing a match against Kirihara.

Yukimura and Yanagi were standing by the benches observing them with a pitch full Inui juice beside them waiting patiently for their next victim.

You could say the reason why all of the regulars were in an all-out war-I mean serious with each other was because they didn't want to drink that horrendous concoction and possibly getting a month's constipation. Things would be the same but something was missing in the spot between Yukimura and Yanagi. Their Maiden, Rie didn't go to school because of injury. An injury that happened yesterday when Kirihara went out of control and had served a ball that flew and hit Rie's eye and because of that she can't attend school even if she wanted to.

"YOU'RE SLACKING, AKAYA!" Sanada scolded.

"I know!" Kirihara shouted. "I know..." He murmured.

"_Rie!" Marui and Niou shouted running towards the unconscious girl. "You okay? Wake up!"_

"_Wake up!"_

_Marui started shaking her but found it useless._

"_Come on…"_

_By the courts, Kirihara was back to his normal self, his eyes wide-eye from what had happened, something he did…again. And this time, he had hurt a girl, a teammate, a friend._

"_Akaya…" Yanagi patted his shoulder._

_Kirihara gritted his teeth and ran to their buchou. "Buchou, let me do it."_

"_Akaya!"_

"_Huh?"_

"_I'll carry her to the infirmary."_

"_But Akaya-" Marui grabbed his shoulder but the junior ignored him._

"_I broke a promise..." Krihara whispered and started walking towards the clinic without getting permission and letting guilt take over him and started walking towards the infirmary with Rie in his arms. 'And it's all my fault…'_

"_Mother…" Rie whispered._

'Mother…' Kirihara something happen to her mother? Like an accident or something?

Kirihara mentally sighed. Or maybe it's because...

He shook his head. He didn't want to even think of that possibility of her mother being..._dead_.

'Damn it!' Kirihara cursed. "That girl will surely kick me if I said it to her."

Her mother may not be dead at all.

That's right. He was only thinking things.

It was all in his head.

"Akaya..."

It was all in his head.

"Akaya!"

And now he's starting to hear things...

Kirihara sighed. Something's really going wrong.

"AKAYA!"

BAM!

"ITTAI!"

* * *

Yukimura smiled watching the junior ace grumble under his breath while holding an ice pack on his head from getting whacked on the head by his vice-captain. Honestly...

Oh well, he won't even know what hit him once he realized it.

Tsk...tsk...tsk

"Akaya," Yukimura called the junior.

"Hai?"

"You spaced out during your match. Something wrong?" Yukimura asked.

'Match?' Kirahara's eyes widened. 'That's right! The match-'

"What happened?" Kirihara asked.

"You lost." Sanada replied crossing his arms over his chest. "six games to one"

"What?" Kirihara exclaimed. "I lost six games to one?"

"Aargh! Damn it!" Kirihara scratched his head. 'Even when the baka-onna isn't here she still keeps getting me into trouble!'

As the youngest regular kept scratching his head Yukimura smiled as he walked towards Sanada. "But that's not even half the bad news, Akaya," Yukimura grinned. "Ne, Genichirou?"

Sanada stiffened as he recognized the tone in their captain's voice. "E-eh…" He muttered as he took a few steps to the side showing Kirihara what was behind him.

Kirihara's jaw dropped. "M-marui-senpai? J-Jackal-senpai?" He then looked to his right and saw Yagyuu and Niou panting heavily.

"Oy, what the hell happened to them?" Kirihara asked as he stared at the unconscious bodies of Marui and Jackal whose faces looked eerily purple.

"This happened." Yukimura answered appearing behind the junior with a pitch full of special poi*coughs* I mean health drink. "Saa…here's your reward."

Kirihara's face paled drastically. The hideous concoction's very horrendous colors were truly visible, from the purple neon-like light to the gross yellowish bubbles appearing. It was pure poison and he had to drink all of it.

"You lost," Yukimura smiled sadistically. "Here's your prize. Drink it. It's good for your health."

Kirihara back away. "W-w-wait! B-b-buchou! I'm feeling a bit sick right now-!"

"In that case you should drink the whole pitch. That should do the trick." Yukimura tilted his head.

GULP

"ACK!"

* * *

_In the clubroom_

"Stupid juice…" Kirihara kept muttering under his breath as he felt another stomach ache. 'Stupid stomach ache…'

'Stupid Baka-onna…' Kirihara thought as he fixed his bag but as soon as he thought of the silver-haired girl, he stopped at what he was doing and looked down.

Meanwhile, Yukimura observed the youngest regular from behind and sighed. "Akaya's been distracted today, Genichirou." He looked at his vice-captain. "He's still blaming himself on what happened yesterday."

"Ah…" Sanada nodded his head. "I already told him this morning that she was fine and she'd be coming back to school next Monday but he it looks like he didn't listen to what I said."

Yukimura raised a brow. "You forgot to put the word physically after the word fine."

Sanada sighed. "If I had said that to him he would have been even more distracted than the situation he is in right now."

"It must be because of that time…" Yukimura mused. 'It must be because of the blood she saw.' He thought.

Yukimura took one last glance at the junior. "I'm going to go now. I need to look for Renji. Take care of the rest, Genichirou." Yukimura ordered before leaving the clubroom in search for their data master who had gone to the teacher's faculty to talk to their homeroom teacher about a project he had.

Sanada sighed. 'I hope whatever he's going to do won't harm us...in a humiliating way." He murmured and then looked at the rest of the regulars fixing their stuffs.

"FUKU-BUCHOU! NIOU-SENPAI'S BEING MEAN TO ME!"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT, BRAT?"

"SEE! HE'S BEING MEAN TO ME!"

"SHUT IT!"

"NIOU, AKAYA! TEN LAPS AROUND THE COURT!"

"But we finished packing!"

"NOW!"

Gulp

"HAI!"

* * *

_Next morning_

_Rikkai Dai Tennis clubroom_

_After morning practice _

"What the hell?" Marui said as he couldn't open the door to their clubroom.

"Something wrong?" His doubles partner asked.

"The door won't open!" Marui shouted as he tried to open the door. "It's freaking locked!"

Jackal raised a brow. "Let me try."

Marui stepped and back and let his doubles partner try but the result was the same.

"Darn" Marui cursed under his breath and crossed his arms over his chest.

"What's the matter over here?" Niou asked arms behind his head with one arm holding his tennis bag. Yagyuu and Kirihara were beside him with their tennis bags as well.

"The clubroom's locked." Marui replied scratching the back of his neck.

"What?" Niou also tried to turn the knob nut it was locked. "Dont' you have the keys?"

"It's with buchou" Jackal answered.

Kirihara groaned and slapped his forehead. "How can we get in now?"

Niou smirked. "Easy. I'll just knock the door dow-"

"Tarundoru!" Sanada yelled at the trickster.

"Fuku-buchou, the door." Kirihara pointed.

Sanada closed his eyes. "I am very much aware that it's locked, Akaya."

Yukimura smiled slyly.

All of the regulars looked at their captain. "Buchou?"

"You did this?"

Yukimura nodded his head. "Hai"

"May I ask why?" Yagyuu asked, curious.

Yukimura smiled. "We won't be going to classes today." He started. "And instead, we'll be going somewhere else."

"You mean we're excused for the day?" Jackal asked.

"Hai"

"What about our things?"

"It's already outside by the school gates where Renji's waiting."

"Eh? Yanagi-senpai"

"He has the address to where we're going."

"Eh?"

* * *

Yanagi Renji leaned on the walls of the school gate all the while writing on his notebook, waiting for his teammates. He paused at what he was doing to look again at the small piece of paper inside his notebook.

"Oy! Yanagi!" Marui called out running towards their datamaster.

"Sorry if we took too long." Yukimura apologized.

"It's fine." Yanagi nodded his head then handed the piece of paper to his captain.

"Is this it?" Yukimura asked.

Yanagi nodded.

"What are you guys talking about?" Niou asked. "I'm lost."

"So are we." Marui added.

"These are addresses to Rie's house." Yanagi simply replied.

"Rie-chan's house?" Marui shouted.

'The baka-onna's house?' Kirihara thought. 'Why?'

Yagyuu fixed his glasses. "Excuse me but did I just hear addresses?" He asked.

"Yes" Yanagi answered. "On her student profile, she had two addresses written on it."

"Why?" Jackal raised a brow.

"It must have something to do with her parents who are still in Italy." Yanagi replied. "There's an 84% chance she's living with her guardian until her parents come back."

Kirihara's eyes widened. "Parents? As in with the letter s?" Kirihara asked. "So her mother is alive." Kirihara spoke in disbelief.

"Baka" Niou muttered hitting him on the head. "What were you even thinking?"

"Ittai…" Kirihara rubbed his head and looked to his side. "N-nothing…"

'So her mother isn't dead. Then why?' Kirihara's eyes looked on the ground as he remembered what he did to their Maiden. How he lost control of himself and how he hurt the snow-white haired girl. Now she knows his other self, the devil one and she'll most probably hate him now for what he did.

"Why should we even visit the baka-onna?" Kirihara frowned. He can't face her after what he did. He just couldn't.

"Oy, Akaya!" Marui reprimanded. "We're her teammates! We should at least see if she's fine."

Kirihara snorted. "Soon to be EX-teammates, I blew up." He said walking back to school. "She's probably regretting she agreed in becoming the team's 'Maiden' after what I did...and most probably afraid of me." He then turned around, his back facing his teammates. "It's no use. I'm going back to class…"

"Akaya" Sanada called in his stern voice.

"It's no-"

"Who gave you permission to leave, Akaya?" Yukimura called.

Kirihara turned to look at his captain. "Buchou?"

"I told you, didn't I? We are excused today and that means we can't turn our backs now. I've already asked Renji to get the address and we are going." He stated. "And by we, I mean _all_ of us."

"Besides, no one told us about Rie wanting to quit the spot." Yukimura said.

"But she's going to be afraid of me now." Kirihara reasoned.

Yukimura sighed. "Akaya, don't make assumptions like that. Rie's different and you know that very well. You'll just have to see for yourself if it's true or not."

The black haired junior frowned. "Buchou, if this is some cover-up to make me apologize to the baka-onna in some way I'll just have to respectfully say I won't." Kirihara put his hands in his pocket. 'I just can't…" He said in a low voice. "Thanks for trying anyway."

"Oy…" Marui's eyes widened. "Why are you being so stubborn?'

"Akaya, I believe you are mistaken" Sanada raised a brow, grasping the junior's attention.

"What?" Kirihara asked, confused.

"I said," Sanada started. "I believe you are mistaken."

Yukimura continued. "You're letting things get on your head again." Yukimura smirked. "I did not say anything about our visit to Rie's house being a cover-up for you to talk to her. Actually, I have my own reasons why we're going to visit her concerning about her health as well as the team."

"Correct," Yanagi added. "Each of us have our own reasons why we'll visit her."

Kirihara looked confused.

The other regulars immediately caught on what the data master meant and told their reasons one by one.

"I just want to know if she's doing well." Marui said nonchalantly as he whistled.

"I'm handing her the notes she missed from her classmate." Yagyuu raised his glasses.

"I have something to give her." Niou smirked. "I hope she likes smoke bombs."

"For unexpected situations." Niou quickly added.

Jackal closed his eyes. "The same as Marui."

"She forgot her notebook." Yanagi said as he held the aqua colored notebook.

Kirihara looked Sanada. "It's my job as the vice-captain to see that all members of the team are doing well." He simply replied.

"Well then," Yukimura coughed. "Everything's set now. We're going now, Akaya. All of us already have our own reasons why and I know you have one too."

"Shall we go?" Yukimura started walking on his path followed by the regulars.

Kirihara stared at the figures of his sempai as they walked away. 'What?' He was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt a pat on his shoulder. "Jackal-sempai?" He asked.

The Brazilian boy nodded his head. "Don't mess up." He murmured so that only the junior could hear. "You've been distracted these past few days." And with that said, Jackal ran up to catch the rest of the regulars.

'So buchou did this because I was too distracted…' Kirihara gritted his teeth. 'Arigatou, minna.'

"Oy, matte! Wait for me!" Kirihara yelled running up to his sempais!"

* * *

_Rie's address_

Even though there were two addresses written on the paper Yanagi had, they didn't have to worry about getting the wrong house because of Kirihara, since he always walked the snow-white haired girl home (even if she said there was no need). Although, even if the junior did walk the only girl in their team home, he never did get to see the house since they always stopped on a corner near the house.

"So this is it, huh?" Niou asked looking at the house. "It looks…average." He added.

"Niou-kun" Yagyuu reprimanded.

"Hai, hai" Niou raised his hands in mock defeat and walked to the front gate. "Let's just get started." He said as he pressed the doorbell.

_Ding Dong_

No one answered.

Niou raised a brow. "Nobody here? Oy Bakaya, are you sure we got the right address?"

"I have a name and it's not Bakaya AND I'm sure this is the right one!"

"Darn it!" Niou cursed. "If only we could see what's behind this big gate!" He rang the doorbell again.

_No answer_

"Eh?" Marui popped his bubblegum. "I really wanted to see Rie-chan." He said as he rang the doorbell again and again. Come on, answer the doo-!"

"What?" A man who looked no older than twenty-four opened the door and glared at the red head. Of course, the sweet lover was freaked out by the sudden and somewhat freaky appearance of the man but what really freaked him was the fact that not only did the man looked intimidating but he had a nailgun in his hand. A properly working nailgun…that could kill.

"What?" The man asked again observing the regulars.

Marui took several steps back and chuckled nervously while dragging Niou with him. "N-nothing sir. We were just around looking for the right address –" The man kept glaring at him. "Um…but it looks like we got the wrong one so…" He trailed as he pushed all of the regulars away from the very intimidating very cold and psychotic man with a nail gun to safety.

"Wait you're from Rikkai Dai." The man said. "If you're here then that means all of you are from the tennis club. Come inside."

Marui chuckled nervously. "Sorry but we're busy right now. We have classes to get back to so if you don't mind we'll be going now. Nice to meet your psycho- I mean you." He nervously said as he continued to push the rest of the regulars.

"Not so fast. Kouji!" He whistled.

Just as the regulars were about to go away a dog blocked their path and I mean a BIG dog. Specifically, a dobberman blocked their path with vicious eyes that looked like he wanted to kill them in shreds.

"I wouldn't leave if I were you." The man smirked. "Come inside."

"Kouji," He called to the dog. "Don't let them get away."

As if understanding what the man said, the dog growled deeply.

Uh-Oh

The regulars were obviously cornered so they followed the man inside the house with the dog following them behind.

Marui gulped. "We're in deep shit now…"

* * *

Tick tock

Tick tock

Tick tock

Awkard silence filled the living room as the man (with nailgun still in his hands) kept staring more specifically observing them while they were in the room. Marui kept turning his head around. The house was definitely not what he thought it would be. It was just a normal average house nothing strange was going on. Kirihara stared at the coffee table before him trying hard not to look at the big and scary dog since it kept its sights on him as it growled. Still, despite the silence the room filled the three demons of Rikkaidai took it as an opportunity to observe the man.

He had spiky ink black hair with red highlights on one side of his bangs, slightly fair skin, intimidating violet eyes. He wore a black leather jacket over a white T-shirt and a pair of jeans giving him a 'wild' look. To sum it all up, he was a very handsome man.

"You're from the Rikkaidai tennis team, am I correct?" He inquired breaking the silence.

"Yes, you are correct." Yukimura replied without any difficulty.

"And you guys are the reason why the little girl fell from the sixth floor?"

"...yes" This time it was Marui who answered. "Well me and Niou actually."

"I see..." He murmured returning to his silent self again. "All right"

"Huh?"

The black haired man stood up and pointed his finger at Marui. "I like you."

Marui chocked on his gum. "What? But we're the reason she fell from the sixth floor of the school! The sixth floor!"

But he was ignored as the man kept pointing at all of the regulars saying, "I like you" to all of them until his finger landed on Kirihara he said, "I don't like you" and Kirihara being well himself stood up and yelled at him. "What did you say?"

"I-don't-like-you." He repeated making a vein pop in the junior's head.

"Why you-" He gritted his teeth. "I'm going to crush you!"

"Akaya" Yukimura called. "manners please"

"But-"

"Show some manners especially to Rie's guardian." Yukimura reprimanded.

"This-Kirihara jerks his thumb at him- guy is the baka-onna's guardian." He yelled n disbelief.

"Ain't it obvious, Sherlock?" Niou put his hands behind his head.

"I have a name, you curly-boy." He frowned. "It's Clau, Lupollo (lu-pol-yo) Clau."

"Curly-boy?" Kirihara repeated.

"Now I see the reason why he's Rie's guardian." Niou smirked and ruffled the junior's hair. "Yo, the name's Niou Masaharu, the trickster of the group." He then jerked his thumb towards the red head. "And the pink haired guy over there is Marui Bunta, the wonder ball of fat!"

"who are you calling pink head? And who are you calling ball of fat?"

"You of course!"

"Aaargh!"

"Stop it you two." Jackal intervened. "I'm sorry about them, I'm Kuwahara Jackal, nice to meet you."

And then one by one, the regulars started introducing themselves to the black haired man.

Clau nodded. "Oy, curly-boy!" He yelled.

"By the way," Clau started. "I don't like you describing the little girl stupid." He frowned. "Especially when the person who calls her that is also the reason why she is in 'that' state"

"That?" Jackal raised a brow.

"I thought she was fine." Marui blinked.

"Yeah she's fine alright, physically but mentally," Clau slapped his forehead. "I couldn't even get a proper response from her when I just came back. She just stood there like rock but her eyes said more. I haven't seen her in that kind of situation ever since...since" Clau paused.

"Since what?" Yukimura asked curious.

Clau rubbed his forehead. "Whatever, I'm not sure if I'm the right person who should be telling you this." He said before noticing the curly-boy's sudden quiet figure. "He was affected that much?"

"Guilty" Niou raised his both hands. "He was affected the much to the point of hallucination."

'He's not even denying it.' Marui thought looking at the junior beside him.

"Putting that aside for a moment," Yukimura started. "We would like to at least know something about Rie's background if you don't mind."

Clau scratched the back of his neck. "Like what?"

"Like why she's wearing an eyepatch when her student profile shows that she has very good eyesight." Yukimura replied catching every regular's attention.

Koji walked towards Clau and looked up at him as if he was saying, 'What should we do, boss?'

Clau narrowed his eyes. "Just as I said before, I'm not the right person to tell that but... If there's one thing you should know about that eyepatch of hers is that, she wants to be covered in darkness."

'Darkness? What does that mean?'

"Don't ask me." Clau closed his left eye. "She'll eventually yell you." And then used his right eye to glare at the sulking junior. "Oy curly-boy, are you here to apologize to the girl?"

Hearing the word 'curly-boy' he immediately glared at the man. "Of course, I have to settle things with her."

…

…

…

Clau remained silent. 'He probably wouldn't let him talk to Rie-chan considering how he doesn't like Akaya.' Marui thought, looking at the man with a worries expression. 'But Akaya's also affected because of what happened.'

Silence filled the place once again.

…

…

…

"Sure"

THUD!

"Oy!" Jackal yelled to his fallen doubles partner.

"I can't believe he agreed." Marui muttered in disbelief earning a bewildered expression from some of the regulars.

"What?" Kirihara shouted as he glared at the red head.

"Uh…" Marui grinned sheepishly. "Nothing?"

Clau raised a brow and sighed. "I said sure so it's fine if the curly-boy wants to talk to her. He has to settle things with her of course. I'm not that cruel of a person."

And once again, silence filled the room.

Clau blinked. "What?"

Everybody was staring at his hand. He turned to where they were looking at and said an 'oh'.

The nailgun was still in his hand.

Clau immediately dropped the nailgun to the ground. "I was fixing some things, okay?"

"What were you even fixing exactly?" Kirihara asked.

"That's none of your business. So are you going to talk to her or not? Upstairs, last room to the left. You can't miss it." Clau explained pointing to the stairs. "And don't even bother knocking. She'll know if somebody's at the door."

With that said, Kirihara folded both of his hands into fists and whispered, "Thanks" before walking up the stairs towards his destination. Clau's calm face soon turned serious as soon as the footsteps walking up the stairs couldn't be heard anymore. "Now that the curly-boy's gone, it's time I need to ask some questions I need to know" He said resting his hands under his chin.

* * *

Kirihara looked at the door Clau told him about, the door to the baka-onna's room. He remembered the black haired man telling that he shouldn't even bother knocking but it just didn't seem right at all. So he did what his gut told him to do, he knocked before opening the door. Slipping his head to take a peek e was surprised to see nobody was in the room. There was no snow-white haired girl with topaz eyes in the room. As soon as he stepped in the room he looked around, the bed, the floor and the open window.

Wait! Kirihara quickly turned his head towards the open window. 'Don't tell me…' He thought staring at the window with disbelieving eyes. 'No she couldn't have…but she did fall down from the sixth floor so what's second floor to her'

"Oh cra-OUCH!"

Somebody had hit him on the head then pushed down to the floor.

"ITTAI!"

* * *

Clau looked at the ceiling from the living after hearing the loud shout of the junior. "Looks like I forgot to mention that the little girl's in a combat-mode right now."

'Lie' Everybody thought dryly looking at the older man.

"What do you mean by combat-mode?" Yukimura asked.

"You'll see." Clau smirked. "Now where was I? That's right," He immediately went back to his serious face. "What are the duties of a Maiden?"

* * *

Meanwhile, Kirihara slowly stood up and rubbed his forehead from the impact but his hitter had pressed his foot to his back making it impossible for him to stand up. "A-re? S-seaweed-san?" A soft voice asked.

"Huh?" Kirihara turned his head to see none other than the person who was plaguing his mind, the team's maiden, Arianna Rie, with a bandage on her right eye.

"What was that for?" Kirihara shouted.

"Protection" She simply replied as she put down her foot from the boy's back. "Clau's been trying to do weird stuffs ever since he came back."

Kirihara rubbed his back as soon as he stood up. "I thought you jumped down the window."

Rie raised a brow. "Why should I? I needed some fresh air-oy, seaweed-san, what are you doing?" She asked noticing that the boy was now roaming around her room with critical eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for a hidden switch." Kirihara replied examining the table lamp just after examining the study table. "Your room has got to be hiding all of its girly stuffs somewhere." He said putting down the bean bag.

Whack!

"Ow! I didn't do anything wrong to you!"

"You were acting stupid."

"Who are you calling stupid?" Kirihara shouted as he crossed his arms and looked to the side. For some reason, having this conversation with her made him feel lighter and calmer…sort of. "Ne,seaweed-san,"

"Nani?" He looked at her.

"Why are you here?" She asked. "Everybody's here right? "

"T-to visit you." Kirihara replied looking around the room.

"Then why are you the only one here in my room?"

"That's because…I-I'm here to apologize!" Kirihara reasoned.

Rie's eyes widened and turned around.

"I'm fine. Don't worry"

Lie…He wasn't here to hear her forgiveness. He was here for something else. He needed to do something. "You can leave now, Kirihara-san." Rie whispered. "I want to be alone for a while."

"Iie! I'm not fine with it!" Kirihara shouted. That's right. He was here to do something and he wasn't going to leave without doing it even if she forgives him or not. He was here to apologize for what he did and make things right! "Hear me out, Rie!" that was the first time he ever called her by her first name and he didn't care. All he wanted to do was let her hear him. "I-I'm…" He stuttered suddenly losing the confidence he felt a while ago. He wasn't the type to apologize a lot but he had to put the aside because he had broken a promise and most of all had hurt a friends. "I'm sorry for what I did!" He bowed.

Kirihara shut his eyes tight. "It was still my fault for hurting you." He mentally slapped himself. He had thought of over a million words that he would use to say but all he had spoken were just too simple words. 'Stupid!' Kirihara thought to himself. Raising his head to look at the snow-white haired girl, he noticed her back was still facing him. He would've thought she ignored what he said but thought it wasn't that as he looked down to her hands that were shaking uncontrollably. "Hey"

That seemed to wake Rie out of her thoughts as she looked at the boy.

"What happened?" Kirihara asked. "D-don't tell me you didn't hear what I said? Do I have to do it again?" He asked, bewildered. There goes the best and not to mention hardest apology he ever made with less than twenty words within 5 hours. Just great…

"I heard your apology." Rie spoke. "I heard you." She sighed and walked towards her bed and sat on it. "Sit" She told the junior patting on the soft bed she was sitting on.

Kirihara raised a brow.

Rie stared at him.

Kirihara sighed in defeat. "Fine" He sat on the soft bed and inched away from the girl. Rie raised a brow.

She rubbed her hands together before speaking, something that was bothering her ever since the incident, "I know there's something else you're not telling me." Looking at the boy's eyes, she saw that he was truly sorry but he was not telling her everything.

Kirihara was surprised. He looked at the girl. "Why do you say that?"

Rie looked in front of her and absentmindedly said, "That's because you're not the type of person who would do anything wrong without a reason." And once again, the topaz-eyes girl took the sea green-eyed boy by surprise. "What? What do you mean by that, woman?"

Rie hid her hands within the long sleeves of her shirt and faced Kirihara. "It's just like that," She said as if it was the most obvious thing. "Besides, you're avoiding my question."

Kirihara looked to his right, "It's nothing really."

"I don't believe it." She quickly said. "Tell me. I need to know since I was also a victim." She murmured. The black haired boy stared at her for a few moments before sighing. She might as well know. "Well it all started when there were these three bastards of a senpai…" And he continued on and on until the last part of it with the girl listening to him intently. 'So that's it…' She thought.

Kirihara was totally nervous, he didn't know whether she'll reject him like the others did or accept him. The only thing that supports his hope of accepting him was because she's different and that was it, right? "Seaweed-san was being short-tempered again." She bluntly said making the boy blink his eyes. 'What?'

"You shouldn't have associated with idiots like those." She whispered.

Kirihara felt nerve snap. "I have my reasons, you know." He crossed his arms over his chest. "I know." She added.

"I know that already," Rie continued looking at the ground. "I don't hate you if that's what you were thinking and from the very start I don't blame you for what happened, okay?" She then faced the confused junior before giving him a small smile. "Besides, you were also fighting for my name." She grinned. "Ne, Seaweed-san?"

Kirihara's eyes widened for a moment before denying what she had said. "No I did not! They were a bunch of stupid idiots being-being...idiots!" He shouted back.

Rie ignored him and continued smiling. Kirihara looked to the side with a tint of pink on his cheeks. 'Maybe,' He took a quick glance at the girl. 'I'll let it slide...but for this time only.' He thought and faced the girl. "Think what you want, whatever." He smiled but it only lasted for a few seconds when he noticed something. "What's that?"

"Huh?"

"This" Kirihara said holding her wrist. Her hands couldn't be seen behind the long sleeves. He felt some movement and narrowed his eyes. "Let go" Rie tried to pull her hand away but sadly, Kirihara held a tight grip around her wrist. The movement won't stop so Kirihara folded the sleeves only to see her hand shaking uncontrollably. He checked the other one and saw the same thing. Kirihara was loss for words as he stared at her hands. "Lie... You're not fine."

"You lied!" Rie's bangs covered her eyes. "You're afraid of me." Kirihara ran his hand through his curly hair. "You're...afraid of me, aren't you?" he repeated.

Rie shook her head. "It's not you." She looked at him. "I told you, didn't I? I'm not afraid of you."

"It's that, I remember something in the past..." Rie murmured hugging her shaking hands. "and when I remember it, my hands start...shaking like this." Kirihara stared at her. "Does it have something to do with your mother?" He blurted out.

He had hit a landmine.

Rie merely nods. "yeah" Kirihara suddenly remembers what Clau had said.

"_she wants to be covered in darkness"_

So her mother has something to do with it?

Kirihara wanted ask why but he decided to keep quiet. "Whenever I see...blood, I freeze on the spot and my hands start to shake. I can't control it. It just happens."

_And she'll soon tell you_...

Kirihara started panicking. Shit! She's going to cry! She's going to cry! What to do? What to do?

Silence

Kirihara snapped out of his mental panic as he saw Rie sitting on her bed, quietly. Kirihara stared at her figure for some time. She was still a girl. And someone he should look after. And someone who looked at him not as the devil of the tennis courts but as a person, something he wanted people to see him as. He mentally sighed before walking towards her and then kneeled down in front of her so he could on eye-level with her. The snow-white haired girl seemed to not notice him as she was trying to calm down her shaking hands but she was surprised to see that her hands were then covered with bigger and stronger hands. She looked up, startled to see a blushing junior with black curly hair. "Seaweed-san"

"Shut up" Kirihara tightened his hold on her smaller hands. "From now on, whenever you're hands start shaking," He takes a deep breath. "I will hold your hand until it stops shaking." He continued. "And that's a Rikkai promise!" He finished and showed him holding her hands in front of her face as if to emphasize what he had just said.

Rie was taken aback. "Seaweed-san..." She had a small blush on her face.

"It's a promise." Kirihara added and what happened next was something he didn't expect. His cheeks were being pinched. "Are you okay?"

Rie continued stretching his cheeks in random directions. "You're acting weird, seaweed-san."

"You're the one acting weird here!" He shouted successfully saving his cheeks from turning into some rubber band. "Why'd you do that for?"

"To know if I was dreaming or not." Rie quickly answered.

"But you're supposed to do that to yourself!" Kirihara shouted back.

"Oh"

"Aargh...whatever." Kirihara sat on the floor, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Ne, seaweed-san," Kirihara didn't look at her. "What?" He asked, clearly not in them mood. "Grazie" She said before kissing him on the cheek. Chu~ (For effect. Yeah I know it was stupid but hey!)

Rie smiled. "Arigatou" but Kirihara was too shocked on what happened.

5

4

3

2

1...

"What!" Kirihara's face turned into the color of a tomato and backed away from her and into the wall all the while his hand on the part where Rie kissed him. "What was that for?"

'Did she just kiss me?' (Yes and on the cheek ONLY!)

"A thank you." She tilted her head, puzzled. "We usually do that in Italy to show our gratitude."

"Eh?" Kirihara blushed from embarrassment. "Is that so..." he whispered looking down on the ground. "Hey," Kirihara looked up at the girl. "You were kind of cool a while ago." She commented. "But only a little." She quickly added.

Kirihara blushed. 'What's this?' He asked himself covering his blushing face with his hand.

It would have been nice if the two continued this sweet moment but somebody always has to ruin the moment, right? Yeah well that happened in a not so inconspicuous way because the door to Rie's room was slammed open with a kick from none other than Clau himself.

"Oy, are you two done now?" He asked. "You're senpais are waiting for you downstairs."

"Senpai-tachi?" Kirihara repeated. "Ah senpai-tachi!" Kirihara shouted as if he forgot about his senpais. He then held Rie's hand and ran downstairs to meet with his senpais with Rie leaving a smirking Clau.

"Well, look at what we have right now."

Things should be getting interesting.

* * *

Downstairs, the regulars, namely Marui and Niou were teasing the baby of the team as soon as they saw him with their Maiden holding her hand.

"Shut up!" Kirihara shouted for what was like the umpteenth time at the two.

"Aww...Bakaya is in denial..." Marui cooed then snickered along with Niou.

"Shut up! Buchou, they're harassing me!"

"No we're not."

"Yes you are!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Quiet!"

"Hai!"

Yukimura chuckled fondly as he saw the old Akaya back with them and turned his head to the only girl in the room and smiled. "How are you feeling now."

"Fine" Rie answered. "And senpai-tachi?" She called all of her senpais who immediately looked at her. "Sorry if I made you guys worried about me." She bowed.

"Don't worry, Rie-chan." Marui glomped the girl. "It's job as senpais to look after our cute little kouhais!"

"Who are you calling cute?" Kirihara shouted.

"You ARE the BABY of the team." Niou joined in.

"Welcome back to the chaos." Jackal sighed as he patted the younger girl on the head.

Sanada nodded as he too patted the girl on the head as well.

Despite the noise, Rie couldn't help but smile from what had happened. "Ah, I see you guys are done." Clau noticed as he came out of the kitchen. "Why don't you guys stay over for dinner?" He asked carrying a pot in his hands. "I just made some stew."

"You?" Marui asked cautiously. "As in you made it?"

"Yeah" Clau replied opening the lid to show what he made and unsurprisingly, inside the pot was stew indeed but in the color of purple. It gave of the smell of poison and possible constipation if eaten making them back away slowly from the pot except for Rie who had to endure all of his concoction- I mean _edible_ food.

"Sorry but I have to go." Marui excused himself. "My mom is making something special for the family and I really need to-" But Yukimura had cut him off. "We'd love to." Yukimura accepted the invitation sweetly, too _sweet_ if you ask me. "But-" Yukimura faced the whole regulars. "_Everyone of us _would love to." He said but it sounded more like a command to the regulars so they didn't have a choice but to agree with their captain and everything went well except for the fact that most of the regulars suddenly ran towards the bathroom once they taken the first bite of Clau's cooking. It was even worse than Rie's onigiri...

"WAAHH!"

* * *

(Extra bit) :))

Rikkaidai Fuzoku

Tennis courts

"My stomach still hurts from last night." Kirihara rubbed his stomach. "I hope I don't have to see that guy again."

"Aargh..." Marui groaned falling down on the grass after running their laps. "I've never eaten such horrors in my life."

"Oy, buchou has something to say." Jackal said while rubbing his stomach too.

"Eh?"

"From now on, the person who will be helping me with the training methods is here." Yukimura smiled. "Please introduce yourself to them." After saying that, a man appeared with a smirk on his handsome face. "Yo, how's it going?" Clau asked taking the spot between Yukimura and Rie. "Ready to see hell?"

THUD!

Kirihara fell down on the floor.

As if the world was against him, Kirihara mentally shouted, "NOOO!"

* * *

So what do you think of Clau?

Finally, a new chapter's here! Sorry if it took too long. I'm too busy with school activities (and the school clubs) right now and the times I usually think of ideas for this fan-fic is when I'm at class. Weird, huh? It's a good thing I passed all of my subjects when we got our cards or else I would have been banned from the computer. T^T But don't worry, I'm going to work on the next chapter!

Also, I'm trying to draw Rie and dub her but all of it fails miserably. I'm planning on posting my drawings of her once I finish them.

Hope you guys liked it!

Please give me reviews! :))


	12. Kouji The Infamous DEMON Dog

**Hello!**

**I know it's been a REALLY long time since I last updated but the truth is...I'm having a case of writer's block. I keep opening the computer but it usually leaves me staring for hours. Really... Still, I'm here and I guess I'm healing? I'd also like to say thanks for the reviews. Means a lot to me that you guys took your time to send me your opinion about this fic. Constructive criticisms and opinions are welcome. I'd like to know what others think about how the fanfic is going. So please tell me?**

**Thanks guys!**

**iSayumix3 **

**kawaii-witch181 **

**Doc Deej **

**Detached000**

**sweetchill **

**I DO NOT OWN POT! I ONLY OWN THE OCs**

* * *

If you guys were wondering what happened to the three baka-senpais, well the whole Rikkai student body had one of the two shocks of their lives when they found three seniors, who they were sure were part of their school's tennis team hanging upside on the tallest trees in the whole campus with embarrassing pictures of their childhood spread across all of the bulletin boards in school ( Yanagi's info). From there on, the tennis team members knew not to mess with their team especially their kouhais.

And the other shock was the fact that the Rikkai tennis team had a new Maiden. And that she was a freshman.

News had spread fast when all of the student body heard that the powerful tennis team of Rikkaidai had finally chosen a maiden. A tradition they had going on ever since until the last maiden of the Rikkai tennis team graduated and the team had stopped choosing a maiden. Of course, the whole student body was surprised because of this. School traditions were never broken and they were serious about it but the school staff had let it pass after several continuous letters coming out of their fax machines, the school's website and mail asking for the position as the next maiden of the school's tennis team complete with pictures, descriptions and sometimes even fake tennis experience written on the papers.

Honestly, the school had originally planned that the female's tennis captain will take the position as the next maiden but the female had clearly stated her answer by tearing the paper and stomped on it before burning it…with a lighter and with a _sweet_ smile plastered on her face. The female tennis team obviously have a dislike for their counterpart because most of the population of the students in school had given much of their better attention to the male's tennis team and ignored the countless efforts the female tennis team did to gain respect even after winning the female division.

So the news of having a new maiden became the talk for weeks especially for the ones who didn't get accepted for the position, the fangirls of the tennis team and ever since they saw the _little witch_ who had the nerves to be talking and not to mention walking beside them they knew they had to take action much so after hearing the news about her being the maiden. They knew from then on, she had to be _eradicated_ from the picture whether she liked it or not.

* * *

'One...two' Rie looked at the obvious traps laid out for her to walk on. "three…' she stared at the banana peel in front of her. 'The more they keep doing this the more they keep proving my observation of them correct.'

The silver haired girl sighed and avoided all of the traps she could. If only she could do it. After having avoided five traps on land the pranks had been brought to her class namely, Science. When the teacher had instructed them to put the things needed into the flask someone had replaced all of it with things that would cause an explosion. Good thing Rie was with the teacher being reprimanded for doing nothing and just stared at the foaming purple bubbles forming in the flask…which soon exploded not after the teacher took a second glance at the purple bubbles forming. And that earned her a visit to the principal's office.

"I heard you got sent to the Principal's office. May I ask why?" Yukimura asked the shorter girl as she stuffed her mouth with onigiri…that's completely safe and from the cafeteria while the other members threw away the _purple_ onigiri Clau had specially made for her.

Rie faced the blue haired captain, mouth full of rice. "I phlew uph dha flab." She replied digging in her onigiri once more.

Yukimura raised a brow.

"You what?" Marui asked.

"I phlew uph dha-" Rie started choking on her onigiri.

"Augh!" Yanagi then patted her back to help her. "I blew up the laboratory." She said in between coughs.

Niou whistled. "Nice~ Maybe I should take you as an apprentice." He put his arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you know everything you need about pranking and of course how to get away with it." He smirked. "Puri~"

Marui rolled his eyes. "Like Rie-chan would want to learn something from the likes of you." Niou glared at the red head.

"At least I have something useful to teach to her unlike you who only teaches her how to eat sweet. Don't you know it's bad to feed a growing girl too many sweets? She'll get fat!"

Marui's face turned the same color as his hair. "She won't get fat! And she definitely doesn't want to learn anything from a guy like you!"

Niou waved what Marui said off and instead inched closer to the silver haired girl. "So what do you think? I'll be nice and gentle~" Rie didn't have a chance to reply when a pair of chopsticks had hit him straight on the head.

THUD!

"Ittai.." The silver haired trickster muttered on the ground. 'What in the world?'

All eyes turned to the _seemingly oblivious _data master who looked like he hadn't seen the trickster fall to the ground and kept eating or what he seemed to be doing since his chopsticks had _magically_ disappeared. "What?" He looked at them keeping up his act.

Yukimura inwardly smiled. 'Looks like Yanagi doesn't want his apprentice to be stolen away from him.'

"Blech" Niou wiped his mouth as soon as he stood up. "I think I just ate some grass. Hey, what were thinki-" But Niou was cut short.

"Niou I will need to change your training menu. I've noticed that there's been a great deal with stamina. Let's say adding fifteen more laps to your morning and afternoon jogging practice while adding more weights for you." Yanagi immediately cut him off not even sparing a glance at him. Niou's eye twitched and he looked at the other regulars.

"Somebody talk some sense into him!"

"Make that twenty" Yanagi added.

"What?"

"Thirty"

Niou shut up.

"And you can't talk some sense to a person who has it already." Marui snickered. "I believe Niou is the one who needs some sense into him."

"Hey!"

Yagyuu sighed. "Honestly, please learn how to control your mouth for once, Niou-kun. You'll bound to get us in trouble…again."

"I'm hurt." Niou placed his hand on his chest in mock hurt. "What makes you think I'll get you guys in trouble?"

"The fact that you were the one who replaced Matsuwari-sensei's sandwich with another one that had fake blood." Jackal bluntly said.

"Or the time when you got one of the students into an almost-comatose state because of a banana peel you left on the floor makes us believe you will get us into trouble." Marui popped a bubble.

"Well that was just an accident."

"How about what you just did before lunch," Yanagu added. "You brought your paint gun with you this morning and turned the whole art class into a mess."

"It's a masterpiece."

"It's a wreckage."

"Well sensei did tell me to reach to my artistic side."

"By shooting paint everywhere? And I do mean EVERYWHERE." This time Yagyuu added it.

"Poor suckers~"

"You're unbelievable." Marui sighed.

"It's art."

"It's messy."

"Art is supposed to be messy." Niou smirked. "Puri"

Jackal facepalmed. Just what he needed: another headache… At least the headache this time didn't hurt as much as last time. Why? Well this time there were only two people causing the headache and not three…wait.

Jackal looked to his left and then to his right. Where did Akaya go? Where was the baby of their team?

"Where's Seaweed-san?" The silver haired girl asked. And as soon as she finished her question Yanagi had stopped in the middle of writing some very important data to look at the blue-haired captain as if anticipating on how their captain will answer her…and gulped.

"And where's fuku-buchou?" This time Jackal was the one asked.

"He's with Akaya right now at the nurse's office because Akaya got tackled by a vicious looking dog on the way to school and passed out because of the impact." Yukimura answered continuing eating his tempura making it seem like it was no big deal.

"Well?" Yukimura flashed them his oh-so-innocent smile which everyone knew was anything but that and was starting to not want to know what the he was going to say. 'I wonder what kind of reactions they'll show me now.' He mused. If there's one thing Yukimura loved to see was the different kinds of faces his teammates made whenever he had a plan unfold or whenever he gave them extra laps which were always exaggerated to a high number. Oh yes, he loved seeing those faces a lot.

And today was no exception.

As soon as they processed what their captain had said all of the regulars-except for Yanagi and Yukimura who knew all along- all had different reactions.

Marui quickly jumped up and inched his face towards their buchou yelling, "W-w-wha-what?"

Jackal was too shocked to say anything.

Niou's eyes had widened with his mouth left open before joining in Marui's sorry attempt of asking if what they heard was real.

Yagyuu's gentleman posture _almost_ cracked as he tried to regain his posture…which was taking a slow process.

(Aww…they all care for him)

And Rie? As soon as she heard what Yukimura said the onigiri in her mouth dropped to the ground…long forgotten and that alone is shocking. She couldn't stop blinking!

"Seaweed-san"

Yukimura inwardly smiled. Yes, this is good. And now the final touch.

"The dog was Kouji. Your dog, Kouji" Yukimura nodded at her.

"That big dog?" Marui waved his arms around the air. "That big vicious dog? Now I'm scared for him!" Images of the rather large Doberman flashed through their minds and everything went silent.

With that said, all the regulars blinked at where their Maiden used to be and watched as she made a trail of dust and ran like hell was bent on chasing her to where they guessed was the nurse's office. Marui turned his head away from Yukimura to look at where Rie ran off. "Wow! She really must care for Akaya!"

"Puri~ Now I really wonder what really happened between those two when they were alone." Niou added. "And what made Bakaya blush so much." Marui then grabbed him by the collar and shook him. "Take that back, you perv!" The net specialist didn't give the trickster time and continued to shake him vigorously. "Rie-chan SHOULD remain INNOCENT! INNOCENT I tell you." Inside the workings of Marui's head, he could see the innocent picture of Rie in the field waving her hand slowly fade into nothingness and was replaced with darkness. 'NOOOO!'

Marui immediately let go Niou's collar and shouted, "Don't worry Rie-chan. I'm going to save your innocence! Just wait for me!" He ran to the direction of the nurse's office leaving the rest of the regulars except for Niou was trying to regain his breath, wondering what just happened a while ago.

"You know what?" Niou started after regaining his breath, "I'm starting to believe what Bakaya said about the ball of fat being a "Lolita"."

And once again silent ensued.

"I'm afraid I also have to agree." Yagyuu stood up. "Hm…shall we go check on Akaya?"

"I'm starting worry about him now." Jackal sighed.

"Who? Marui or Akaya?"

"…Both"

"Thought so."

"I'm going to stay." Yukimura waved. "I need to do some rearrangement for our training schedule today. I've already checked up on Akaya and he's doing fine but it would be nice for you guys to check up on him."

Niou gawked at him. "Then what was the reason you made us panic?"

Yanagi raised a brow. "Need be asked?"

Yukimura gave them a dark smile. "Because I like to see your scared faces."

* * *

Kirihara groaned as he got up from one of the beds in the nurse's office. 'What happened?' He looked around. "And where am I?"

The junior yawned and decided to look around with sleepy eyes.

A nice and somewhat comfy white chair…

White beds…

Cabinets of what seems to be filled with all sorts of medicines…

And a very familiar desk…wait-

As if all sleepiness was gone from his eyes, Kirihara did a double take around the room and gulped. 'Oh hell no!' That desk is no ordinary desk. That desk was the one the baka-onna used to throw at Niou-senpai when they first met her _officially._

With that realization all color was drained from his face. It was not because he remembered what was the reason he was here (which he did not). No. It was because this was also where one of the nurses had tried to give him a shot. A big one. A big syringe with a very sharp and with a very long needle that could hurt him. A LOT.

Kirihara shuddered as he remembered the gleeful glint in the nurse's eyes as she took out the syringe for his shot because _he was being unreasonable_ if you scratch the fact that he kept screaming and thrashing his hands in the air. Did I mention that he also tried to bite off her hand?

But in the inner workings of Kirihara's mind, everything's messed up. He remembered nothing but her eyes that held so much glee because of the pain he was going to go through once he receives that shot. Yep, only Rikkai has those kinds of maniacal people for nurses. Rikkai only.

"I gotta get out of here before she comes to check on me…fast." Kirihara muttered to himself ready to get out of there as soon as possible not noticing a pair of beady black eyes trying to burn a hole through his back.

_Growl_

Kirihara gulped and turned his head to look at where the noise came from. "Oh shit…"

Before him in all his glory was none other than Kouji, Clau's vicious Doberman, showing off his SHARP pearly white teeth. And he looks ready to bite someone's head off.

Kirihara scrambled back until he was met with the wall. "Nice doggie, Nice Doggie…" He repeated over and over again. "Let's not get hasty now, shall we?" He chuckled nervously as he kept looking at the black dog with shaky eyes. "Y-you wouldn't want someone like me." He said hoping that Kouji would back down his intention to kill him. Sadly, it didn't.

It only made Kouji growl at him more.

'Wait!' Kirihara thought of at least something that could help him. He looked around and his eyes widened. 'This is it.' He quickly made a dash towards the one thing that could save him from possible injury. 'Only a little more-Ahah!'

The sophomore ace grinned in triumph as he took the object and raised it in front of Kouji.

'You've got to be kidding me…' Kouji thought dryly.

"Ha! Let's see how you deal with this!" Kirihara shouted raising a chair towards his face. Yes. A CHAIR. Kirihara raised the chair in front of Kouji in a manner of a fencer in battle or in a manner that reminded Kouji of a ringmaster trying to tame his lions.

And Kouji was definitely not a lion.

This only made him angrier.

'Do I look like I'm a cat to you or in any way related to one?' he growled.

'Do I even resemble a freaking cat?' He barked. He couldn't even begin to understand why his mistress was so attached with this human. He couldn't even distinguish a cat from a dog!

BAM!

Speak of the devil, by the door was Rie panting heavily as she looked at what was before her. Her face clearly showed worry.

'Baka-onna?' Kirihara's eyes widened as he saw the petite girl. Did she come here for him?

"You idiot!" Was what Rie said before running towards their direction.

"H-hey, I'm okay-" Kirihara tried to calm down the freshman but Rie only went right past him and towards Kouji. "Eh?"

"Are you okay?" Rie asked hugging the big dog only to get a lick from him.

"SHOULDN'T YOU BE ASKING ME THAT QUESTION?" Kirihara shouted. "I'm the victim here!" He waved his hands in the air.

Rie then turned to face him. "Seaweed-san" She greeted. "How are you doing?"

Kirihara's eye twitched. "Is that all you can say? Look at me!"

"I am looking at you holding a chair."

"Damn it!" Kirihara cursed. Rie sighed and walked toward the fuming second year and touched his forehead. "You seem okay. You're not really hurt but you just went unconscious from the impact on the ground and probably from shock." She place her forehead on the hand she placed on Kirihara's forehead. "Yep still the same seaweed-san. _You're alright_..." She murmured the last part quietly to herself.

Kirihara's face flushed red. 'W-what the hell is she doing?' He thought frantically. He started to think of things to say to her inside his brain. He didn't want to make a fool of himself in front of her...again. But he needed an excuse. 'This is wrong...' He thought. 'What's happening to me?' He finally blurted the first thing he could think of.

"You're stupid dog is the reason I'm here!"

Rie's eye twitched as Kouji inwardly smirked as he gave a quick glance at the twitching sophomore before whimpering softly against the silver-haired girl's chest.

Kirihara went red at this. "You've got to be kidding me! That dog is obviously faking it! Weak!" he pointed at Kouji. "Oy ! Stop this stupid wimpy act of yours!" He ordered glaring at the dog making Kouji to only whimper more.

BAM!

"Ittai!" Kirihara shouted rubbing the back of his head. "What was that for?"

"Nobody insults Kouji!" Rie glared. "He's very important to me!"

"Oh don't tell me you're going to buy this stupid excuse of an act of his?" Kirihara glared back. "You're so weak!"

"Fine, insult me as much as you want but you can NOT insult him!" Rie showed her fists at him.

"I'm the victim here!" He started. "Nurse! Nurse! There's a crazy girl over here trying to ki-ACK!" Kirihara tried to pry off the smaller girl off his back as she started to punch and kick on his back. "Get off of me!"

"What the hell is going on?" Sanada came barging in with an irritated face. "You're too loud!"

"Yeah," Niou then appeared beside the irritated fuku-buchou but stopped immediately when he saw what was before him. The trickster smirked. "Well look at what we have here. I see you're hormones have finally taken over, Bakaya."

'What the hell is he talking about?' Kirihara thought as he looked over at what they're position. Now that you look at it, they kind of looked they were in an intimate position...in a way. His two hands held Rie's two hands over head. And their faces were only inches apart too. It didn't help her cheeks were a bit red.

"Trying to take advantage of Rie-chan, huh?"

BUT it was only because he tried to find a way to stop the baka-onna's punches at him that he held her hands over head. Their faces were only near each other was from the shouting contest they had. And the red face of the freshman was also because of that. But in the eyes of those who weren't in the room when they had fought, they would think they were in an intimate position.

"TARUNDORU!"

"I-it's not what you think!" Kirihara frantically shouted. "It's not what you think!"

"I can't believe you're doing this to Rie-chan~"

"I'm telling you! It's not like-"

"Kirihara-kun! That is not the proper way to treat a lady!" Yagyuu then appeared. "Apologize!"

"Senpai?" Kirihara paled.

"I do believe our 'new' coach won't like this if he found out." Yanagi said looking at their position. "Not at all" He then wrote something on his notebook.

"Someone's not going to like this..." Jackal murmured.

'Fate really hates me, huh?' Kirihara thought. Why did this have to happen to him? He was a very good boy these past few days. Can't he at least go through a day without his senpais embarrassing him?

And as if the fate did hear him.

Marui appeared.

"What are you doing to Rie-chan's innocence?"

Yep, today was not his day. NOT AT ALL.

'Crap' He thought before he was ambushed by the red head with questions.

"What are you doing to her innocence?"

"I'm telling you guys, I'm the VICTIM here!" Kirihara shouted letting go of Rie's hands and faced his senpais. Bad idea.

As soon as he had let go of the silver-haired girl's hands she immediately landed a punch on his head making the sophomore ace fall down face-first into the ground.

"YATTA!" Rie cheered pumping her fist to the air. "Take that!"

Face still on the floor, Kirihara gave a muffled noise. 'I can't believe I got schooled by a girl.' He glared at the dog that was the cause of all of this. 'This is all your fault.'

Kouji, who was now sitting beside Sanada, as if knowing what the sophomore thought looked pleased. 'Good to know'

It's official: Kirihara Akaya, the devil of the courts, was just _schooled by a dog_.

* * *

OMAKE!

Rie yawned walking downstairs to the kitchen to get a glass of water. It was three in the morning and she suddenly felt thirsty for some reason. As she neared to her destination she immediately stopped as she saw a blurry light coming from the kitchen and heard someone laughing evilly. 'Clau?'

Taking careful steps, she took a peek at what her guardian was doing only stare in horror at what he was making...his health juice.

It seems like he was just putting whatever his hands could get while laughing like a maniac.

Eggs

Vegetables

Grass

And...wait! Were those just jalapeno peppers?

Rie gulped. She did not want to know what else he was putting in it. The blurry light was coming from the concoction he was making not because of some bad lighting.

"Let's see those kids hold this in." He laughed.

Okay the sleepy girl wasn't so thirsty anymore. She quickly turned around and walked walked quickly towards her room wishing she would forget what she just saw.

'FORGET...FORGET...FORGET...FORGET...ZZzzz.'

* * *

What do you think?

**I'm thinking of putting OMAKEs at the end of every chapter now...what do you guys think? Put OMAKEs or not put OMAKEs? I guess they're just random drabbles that came to mind while doing random stuff too? What do you think of Kouji? Who do you think will stay on top? Kouji or Kirihara?**

**Let the battle begin! FIGHT!**

**ALSO, I'm planning on changing on changing the title to "My Seaweed Head" :3 My sister gave me the idea.**

**Please tell me.**

******I'd like to know what the readers think about how this fanfic is going. So REVIEWS please.**


	13. Tennis Balls of DOOM

**Surprised? Double update!**

**Honestly, I had fun with writing the small fight between Kirihara and Kouji. It's not going to stop there...there's more to come~**

**Thank you for reading~ **

**and**

**Enjoy~**

**I DO NOT OWN POT! I ONLY OWN THE OCs**

* * *

_Rikkaidai tennis court_

Rie's head was down as Yukimura scolded her about the earlier event. "You shouldn't have done that to Akaya especially after what had happened to him." He scolded her lightly.

"But seaweed-san insulted Kouji."

'Innocent my ass. He is anything but that.' Kirihara glared at her.

"And Akaya" Yukimura called out as he turned to look at him. "You shouldn't have also taken the chance to take advantage of Rie-chan too." He smirked inwardly.

Kirihara blushed beet red and started waving his hands. "I told you! It wasn't like that!" Oh god, why did his senpais love to embarrass him?

"Really?" Yukimura smirked. "Fine, go get ready for our new training menu today."

At the word of 'new', Rie's head immediately perked up as she remembered the folder she gave to him which carried all of the info she managed to get from observing the tennis club members. She was his eyes and Clau will be the one to make up a more 'suitable' training for them.

And in all honesty, she didn't know what Clau had in mind.

Just as Rie began to walk toward the girls' locker room to change Yukimura had stopped her. Rie blinked and looked up at the smiling buchou. "There's no need for you to join today's practice."

"Huh?"

"There's no need for you to join today's practice. Lupollo-san has other plans for you from what I've understood from him. Now go and get changed." His smile grew making mentally flinch.

Okay, she did not want to know what plans Clau has for training.

* * *

"OKAY! LISTEN HERE YOU LOT OF WEAKLINGS!" Clau shouted sporting none other than one of the Rikkaidai jersey uniforms and a pair of comfortable looking sneakers and hanging around his neck was a beautifully made silver whistle with unique marks on it. "TODAY'S TRAINING WILL BE HELD NOT HERE BUT AT THE SWIMMING POOL! SO GET YOUR ASSES OUT THERE AND RUN!"

"FIRST YEARS. COLLECT ALL THE TENNIS BALLS AND MEET THERE!"

Clau felt a nerve pop as no one was moving. 'This should get them to move.'

"If you weaklings don't move now," He said getting something out of his bag. "I'll have to make you drink this whole bottle of health juice I just made this morning...with all the _healthy_ ingredients I could find in the fridge."

"I've got three whole bags filled with these juices."

That hit a fear among the tennis club members as they ran towards the swimming pool fearing for their lives...and digestion. 'This is madness!' The regulars thought as they all lead the tennis club members toward the swimming pool.

"Be there by 5 minutes!"

Rie would've also liked to run but Clau's hand on her shoulder sent chills up her spine. "I have a different plan for you, little girl." He smiled. Rie gulped nervously before nodding.

* * *

When all of the Tennis members arrived at the swimming pool. More than 30% didn't make it and had to drink Clau's special concoction. And as a result, all of them either fainted or had stomach aches. The poor souls.

The tennis members released a sigh of relief. At least they weren't going to drink that poison or whatever it was.

Clau took notice of it and smirked. 'That's where you're all wrong. That's where you're all wrong.'

"If you guys think you're safe then you're all wrong. _Very wrong..._" He had a certain glint in his eyes. "The ones who drank my health juice are way luckier than you guys. They actually had a reason skip this hell training."

Everybody tensed.

"Anyways," He shook his head. "ALRIGHT! REGULARS SEPERATE FROM THE NON-REGULARS! NON-REGULARS GO FIRST."

At this, Marui, Niou and Kirihara mentally cheered while the rest had a bad feeling about this.

"Move to the swimming pool and bring your rackets."

That raised questions. The non-regulars looked at their tennis uniforms and then to the black haired male.

"Yes," Clau jerked his thumb to the swimming pool. "And yes, you'll be wearing your jerseys. And don't worry, you guys won't get wet. Just some injuries, is all." He shrugged off nonchalantly.

"What?"

"Get. In. Now." He ordered leaving them speechless.

The non-regulars' eyes widened at what happened to the pool. "What happened to the water?" One member asked.

"They...drained it?"

This made them more suspicious but one look from the black haired man, they immediately kept their mouths shut and went to the now empty pool that resembled a cage to them.

"Get ready." Clau then turned to the regulars. "Look closely because this is what's going to happen to you later...but harder."

All of them gulped.

"All right!" He faced the non-regulars inside the swimming pool. "This is all what I have to say to you guys: Don't get too injured over there, okay?" He grinned.

"WHAT?" All of them shouted in unison. What does he mean by injured? He's joking right?

"What he means to say is that. Do your best in this training, okay?" Yukimura said. "Your goal is to hit the green ball to the baskets surrounding the pool. Remember, green balls only, okay?"Yukimura reminded them. "Oh yeah, every wrong ball is equivalent to ten laps." With that finished, Yukimura went to the regulars leaving the gaping non-regulars to their doom-I mean training exercise.

The non-regulars looked at each other smiling nervously. 'You've got to be kidding me.' They all thought.

"And don't even get any ideas about not hitting any of those green balls cause if any of you don't even hit at least 30 green balls in those baskets then you'll be drinking my own home-made health juice."

GULP

"GET READY!"

This isn't going to be hard, right?

This isn't going to be some training exercise that would endanger their lives, right?

Their captain wouldn't allow that right? He is a known sadist but won't, right?

Right?

Too late...

"GO!"

As soon as the words had escaped Clau's mouth, tennis balls immediately started hitting the non-regulars mercilessly.

"What the hell?" Marui shouted.

Niou's eye twitched. "Hey, aren't they the girls' tennis team?"

Marui blinked. "You're right." All of the regulars looked at them. They were positioned all around the pool. "And are those tennis ball launchers?"

"Yeah..."

"And they're using that to attack them?"

"Yes..."

"Buchou!" Kirihara shouted to the blue haired captain. "The girls' tennis team's disturbing our practice!"

Yukimura chuckled. "I know. They're actually part of this."

"Huh?"

"That's right," Clau appeared beside them holding a folder and notebook in his right hand. "I asked them to take part in this exercise."

"And they agreed?" Jackal asked in surprise. It was no secret that the girls' tennis team had some sort of grudge against their counterpart because the whole student body had ignored their accomplishments for these past years because of them.

"Yes. They said 'yes' immediately when I asked them." Claude then grinned. "That is, after I said that they had a chance to potential chance to hurt your members."

"They're doing quite a good job if you ask me."

"MY ARM!"

"WILL YOU GUYS STOP THIS!"

"MY EYE! MY EYE! "

"SHIT!"

"They're enjoying this too much." Kirihara muttered looking at the sadistic and pleased looks the girls had after causing pain to their members. "Monsters..."

"They still haven't let go of last time." Yagyuu looked to the side not wanting to see what was before him.

Clau raised a brow. "Last time?" He looked at the blue notebook with him. "You mean where one of your members got into a fight with one of the girls' tennis team and it ended with almost all of the members getting into a fight with the other?"

"He was belittling and insulting one of the girls, right?"

"Yup" Niou replied. "How did you know about that?"

"It's in this notebook." He showed Rie's notebook. "She's been writing very interesting things here and that includes the events that had happened with both of the girls' and the boys' tennis team. For reference." He quickly added the last one.

"It was understandable why they would be mad. One of our members had just said that he was superior to them."

Marui frowned. "We're the ones who kept winning though, not them."

"Some let it go to their heads." Yanagi added. "But that member had been expelled since he had been causing nothing but trouble to the school and other clubs as well."

"I never knew that they had such a grudge against us that would make them do..." Niou looked toward the non-regulars and then to the girls. "this..."

"I'M OUT OF AMMO!" One of the girls shouted.

"FIRST YEARS! GIVE US AMMO!"

"GIRLS! LEAVE NO MAN CONSCIOUS!" I REPEAT! LEAVE NO MAN CONSCIOUS!" A girl they recognized as the one who had hit one of their teammates in the eye shouted.

"OSU!" All of them saluted.

They all giggled evilly. 'They won't be able to hit the green ball this way.'

"DIE!"

"We have to go through that later?" Kirihara asked nervously. "What good will we get in this?"

"Focus" Clau answered as if it was nothing. "Learn to concentrate on the one ball I tell you to hit even with all those other balls in your way. The key is to look at the movement of your opponent focus your eyes on your target and you'll be able to follow your opponent's movement."

"Even if it means all your bones will break, so be it!"

"What kind of training is that?" Kirihara yelled angrily.

"MWAHAHAHAHA!"

All of them shivered.

"You're doing this on purpose, huh?" Marui glared at Clau. "Making us watch this knowing we will be next!"

Clau only smirked.

* * *

"Crap" Marui looked at the mess that was before him. "They really did leave no man conscious." And if there ever was someone who survived…well-

BANG!

They would shoot him to unconsciousness.

"MWAHAHAHAHA!" The girls laughed.

"Crazy banshees" Kirihara muttered.

Marui banged his head on a nearby tree. "We're goners."

"Not exactly," Clau placed a reassuring pat on his shoulder which only made the red head sulk more. "Thanks for the effort, Himawari-san." He faced the girl behind him.

"My pleasure" A girl with shoulder-length auburn hair tied into a low ponytail said. All of the regulars except for Sanada, Yukimura and Yanagi gulped at the sight of her. Himawari Ari, the girls' tennis club captain, gave them a glare before smiling at Clau. It was a known fact that the girl loved the tennis club a lot and would do anything to make their club even stronger and get revenge against the boys' tennis team.

"Don't worry," She said making 'shooing' motion. "Our job's already done here. We did enough damage here to soothe our anger for a week or so-"

"You mean hitting our members with a tennis ball launcher isn't enough?" Marui shouted.

"No." Ari glared.

Silence ensued.

"Pack up! We're going back!" Ari shouted to her club. "Mei, lead them back."

"Hai~" A chirpy voice saluted.

"Hey Jackal-kun and Marui-kun~" A girl with short messy light orange hair said. She had panda bear pins on the side of her hair.

"Hey, Shiroki-chan" Jackal greeted his hyperactive classmate. Marui was too sulkish to greet his classmate.

"Boy, was it fun to beat the shit out of your members, huh?" She smiled brightly at them. "Gotta go!"

Ari sighed. "By the way, where is Arianna-san? I'd like to thank her for having the idea of having a mixed practice with you club."

"Rie-chan/Baka-onna did what now?" Niou and Kirihara shouted together.

"She had the idea of the mixed practice but I had the idea of the tennis ball launchers." Clau answered.

"Great, leave it to the psychopath holding a nail gun to come up with something like that." Marui mumbled under his breath as he looked at the man who glared at him.

"Did you just say something? _Akai_-san?"

Marui cringed and immediately looked to the side whistling trying to look innocent. 'Niou?' Marui thought as he looked at the trickster walking toward the unconscious tennis members. 'Just what is he planning to do? He's probably looking after them.' The red head suddenly shook his head vigorously. "Just what in the world am I thinking? Him? Caring? The hell!"

Meanwhile, Niou took out some sort of device out of his pocket and pointed it one of the unconscious member's head and pressed it.

ZAPP!

And just as the trickster pressed it the unconscious member's body started trembling from the shock uncontrollably until it was brought back to unconsciousness with the distinct smell of fried chicken following him.

"Hey!" Niou called out to regulars. "He's still alive!"

"NIOU YOU FREACKIN KILLED HIM!" Guess who said that.

This is not going to go well...

* * *

"OKAY, REGULARS! LISTEN UP! I'M STEPPING UP THE LEVEL OF THE DIFFICULTY! PREPARE YOURSELVES!" Clau shouted from the sidelines. "And before I forget to even mention this but, you aren't the only ones in a difficult situation. Your little maiden is also in one right now." He smirked before pointing towards one of trees near the swimming pool. And boy was it tall...

A muffled sound filled the regulars' ears as they quickly turned to where it was coming from only to have their jaws drop at what greeted them. Dangling upside down on a branch was none other than Rie! Her mouth was covered by a bandanna as she struggled to at least shake it down her mouth by shaking her head.

"Mmmphggh phrou phlastared!" She shouted. Rie couldn't remember what happened after Clau wanted to speak with her. All she then saw was black and the next she knew she was tied up upside down dangling on one the tallest freaking tree in campus. She was so going to kick that Italian man's ass when she gets down.

"The heck..." Jackal gaped.

"Rie-chan, are you alright?" Marui shouted waving his hands for emphasis only to receive a dull look from the said that undoubtedly says 'What-Do-You-Think'.

"Oy!" Kirihara glared at Clau. The man was getting on his nerves but this was something else. "What the hell are you doing? You know about her fear, right? Then what's the big idea of doing something as outrageous as this?" And he even calls himself as the baka-onna's guardian...

"Buchou, are you going to stand for this?" The junior faced Yukimura who remained calm all throughout the event.

Yukimura shook his head. "This is beyond my control now, Akaya. He is now taking over our practice menu so I can not interrupt." He narrowed his eyes at Clau. "Besides, I'm sure Lupollo-san has an explanation for all of this, am I right?" He wasn't informed that the freshman was going to be left dangling upside down on a tree with her mouth gagged. He was missed out on this. He did not want any of their kouhais to be facing any traumas. NOT ONE.

Clau raised a brow. "Re-lax. I know what I'm doing. You should be focusing on your training right now. From where I come from, I've faced worse."

'Just where exactly did HE come from?'

"BEHOLD!" Kirihara looked at his right hand and saw...'A remote? Where did that come from?' Clau pressed one of the buttons there was and suddenly they weird a weird noise and it was becoming louder and louder with each passing second.

Rie's eyes widened at what were making those sounds. 'Tennis ball machines?' As soon as several of those tennis ball machines surrounded the swimming pool it stopped. "Instead of tennis ball launchers like the last time, this time we'll be using tennis ball machines I borrowed from the school instead for this training." Clau explained resting on of the tennis ball machines. "Yep, this baby is going to whip you guys into shape." He said casually. "And of course," He pressed another button and another weird noise started making its way but not toward the regulars but toward the maiden instead.

"Since this is going to be their battle, it will be your battle too, _bambina*."_

The silver-haired girl's eyes widened as she saw it was aimed at her. What was she supposed to do? Wriggle her way to freedom? Well yes...it's one of her options right now. Rie made a mental note herself. 'Scratch what I planned earlier, I am going to kill the bastard...'

"Same rules and same goal and penalty as well! But this time you guys need to hit 75 green balls this time!" Clau turned his head to look at the dangling girl. "And _remember_ use your senses to see the movements and analyse it very clearly. Your handicap might give you your advantage."

"GET READY!"

"EH?"

"FIRE!"

Let the wreckage begin.

Rie's eyes widened because at the same time those tennis ball machines started firing the one under her began as well. She winced as a tennis ball _almost_ got her head. She had no choice but to move her body to miss the incoming balls at her. At the same time, think about what Clau had mentioned before this started. 'Handicap...advantage...senses?' What did he mean by handicap? They were all in a handicap. He was practically trying to break our bones! The freshman gasped in pain as a tennis ball hit the side of her face. Gasp? 'Looks like the bandanna had somewhat loosened up as I was in the middle evading.' She dodged another tennis ball as she swung back and forth. 'Advantage...'

"_Aren't people really interesting to observe?"_

"_Bambina, look around you. Details are very important."_

"_Idiota! Remember you senses..."_

What about my senses?

"AUGH!"

'Seaweed-san!'

"Damn it all!" Kirihara yelled as he tried to concentrate. There were too many balls coming at them with unbelievable speed. He couldn't catch their movement. "I can't see it! WHERE'S THE GREEN BALL!"

"Behind you!"

Taking the warning to heart, he immediately swung his racket and had hit the incoming ball to the basket. Turning around, he saw that the ball he hit was none other than...a green ball. The first green ball. "YATTA! Arigatou," He turned his head to the source of voice and stared. "Baka-onna! You can speak."

Wait.

"Oy!" He shouted as he evaded the tennis balls. "Can you tell us when and where the green balls are coming?" She could see everything from up there after all. Maybe there's a reason to her being there up in the sky after all.

"She won't be able to do that." Clau answered the junior. "All of these balls are coming from everywhere with unbelievable speed. She won't be able to see where the balls are going much more the green balls mixing with the normal tennis balls."

Kirihara glared at the man. "AND WHOSE FAULT IS THIS?"

"WHAT'S THIS GOING TO HELP US WITH TENNIS ANWAY!"

Clau's eye twitched. "I told you already, concentration, focus-"

"YEAH YEAH! CONCENTRATION, FOCUS AND CRAP! WE GET IT! IS THAT ALL?"

"Crap? LET'S SEE IF YOU HOW YOU HANDLE THIS!" Clau immediately pressed another button making the tennis ball machine shoot faster. "THIS IS NOT CRAP! THIS IS _TRAINING!_"

"THIS IS NOT TRAINING! THIS IS MADNESS!"

"I AM TELLING YOU THAT THIS TRAINING WILL HELP YOU SEE THE TRUTH! A TRAINING TO SEE A MAN EVOLVE-"

"THERE'S A GIRL OVER HERE!" Rie yelled.

"SHUT UP!"

"NO YOU SHUT UP!"

"TARUNDORU!"

"ITTAI!" Kirihara fell face-first to the ground as one tennis ball hit him in the back of his head.

Clau smirked. "Oh and if you're still interested I know another benefit from this training."

In all honesty, he didn't want to know. HE DID NOT WANT TO KNOW. But curse him and his mouth as he spoke the forbidden word. "What?"

"IT WILL RAISE YOU TOLERANCE OF PAIN!" He shouted as he raised the level.

All of the members groaned in pain.

* * *

The freshman swung to her left as she _barely _evaded two balls coming. 'This is getting harder...' Rie nervously thought looking at the troubled regulars. "Senses...? Just what did he say again about senses?"

"_Idiota, remember your..."_ Come on think! _"senses work better together when one of them is not in use. Close your eyes...tell me if you notice anything different..."_

Rie closed her eyes. _I can hear the breeze, the falling leaves, the students running around and shouting...and the gears of the tennis ball machine..._ Just then, Rie snapped her eyes open and critically observed the pool and the machines. 'If I can't use my sight then how about my other senses... Is that what Clau was talking about?'

Hey eyes focused on any kind of detail she could find that would help with the machines. 'It hurts...my eyes hurt just looking at it.'

Jackal shouted. "To your right, Yanagi!"

But before Yanagi could even react a tennis ball had already hit his shoulder. The master winced.

"_Handicap..."_

Rie blinked. Realization hit her. She won't be able to tell where and when the green ball may be coming but she could warn them before it could hit them. She could see everything that's happening because...

She was up here.

This height gave her the advantage.

"Fukubuchou! To your right! Something's coming at you!" Rie shouted to the senior.

Sanada immediately hit the ball before it could hit him.

"Marui-senpai! Left!"

Marui evaded the ball aiming his face.

"Thanks!" Marui waved his hand to the girl before side-stepping to hit a green ball.

"Jackal-senpai, Behind you!"

Jackal dodged.

Maybe dangling upside down on a tall tree wasn't too bad. She could after all help her senpais with this.

"Ittai!" She yelped as another tennis ball hit her.

Wrong. Screw Clau and this Tolerance for Pain training.

* * *

Rie panted after warning her teammates several times now. She knew she wouldn't be able to hold on if this keeps continuing.

'_Senses...'_

'Let's see how far what Clau said will go.' Rie panted. 'I'm starting to feel dizzy now.' With that she closed her eyes.

Bang

Bang

Bang

Bang

Bang

"Green ball!"

Bang

Bang

Bang

Bang

Bang

"I see a green Ball! Just beside you!"

'I see...' The silver haired girl sighed. 'So that's what his plan was. Idiota! Why didn't I think of it before! He planned this from the very start!'

Rie took a deep breath before shouting, "Senpai! If you guys want to know, I found a way you guys could hit the green balls!"

That grabbed their attention. Clau only raised a brow.

"What?"

"Trust me on this one." She yelled "Close your..." Her head felt like it was spinning. 'Damn it'

"Close your eyes!"

"But-"

"Onegai! Trust me on this one!"

"She did warn us about those incoming tennis balls. There's nothing to worry about since this is Rie-chan we're talking about." Niou sighed before smiling.

"It's our best shot." Marui added.

"It's our _only_ shot, senpai." Kirihara butted in.

"MOU!"

"Enough." Yagyuu interrupted. "Let's trust Arianna-san's words." With that the regulars closed their eyes.

Rie smiled in relief. "Use your ears and hear the shots of the tennis ball machines. Count until 13 when I give you my signal. Whoever is near the 14th ball...hit it! Be quick about it!"

With the message clear, they all nodded as they waited for the girl's signal.

'I wonder how long I'll last...I'm feeling sick right now.' Rie grimaced as she shook head. She needed to do this for the team. 'Concentrate!'

Just as she saw a quick green blur she immediately shouted, "NOW!"

'...11, 12, 13...'

"Yanagi-senpai!"

Yanagi, who was the nearest person when the 14th ball was shot he immediately swung his racket to hit the ball and shoot it to the basket.

The regulars opened their eyes to take a peek and widened their eyes when they saw that what Yanagi had shot was a green ball indeed. "YOSH!"

"Concentrate!" Rie shouted making the regulars close their eyes again. "Now!"

'..13...'

"Niou-senpai!"

Another green ball had been hit.

And the regulars counted again.

"Fukubuchou!"

And another green ball was hit.

Yukimura was impressed on how their maiden managed to pick up on the pattern. It seems Clau did plan all of this. It would be impossible for the regulars to notice the patter because they were evading the balls coming at them and with the speed of those balls... Even he didn't think of it.

"I see she's figured it out, huh?" Clau sighed. He wasn't surprised. He knew she do it. Why not? He was the one who trained her after all.

'If she's going to be part of a team then she better do what she can to help the team.'

Soon all of the regulars had got the hang of the pattern and didn't need Rie to point out who was the nearest regular to the 14th ball.

"But will they be able to make it to 75 balls?" Clau smirked. Yukimura chuckled. "You'll be surprised at how my teammates will handle this."

"The time Rie-chan told them of the pattern will be the time they'll completely win this."

True enough, after the tennis machines had all gotten out of tennis balls, the regulars had his more than 200 green tennis balls. Clau was impressed as he gave a low whistle. "You lot aren't that bad, after all."

"I...never...want to go through that again." Kirihara said in between pants. He clutched his arm as it had been several times by the tennis balls.

"I second that." Marui joined in as he sat on the ground tiredly raising his fist in the air. "I need some sugar...fast." It was a good thing he ate a lot of shortcakes before their practice began or else he would've collapsed there in the middle of their training.

"Puri..." Was all Niou could say.

"Looks like Lupollo-san's were true about our concentration." Yagyuu fixed his shirt.

"I never knew I could react that fast just by using my ears." Kirihara muttered. "Maybe he isn't so useless after all."

"But he's still scary..." Marui mentally shuddered.

"His ways may seem...absurd but...he seems to have a reason for all of this." Yanagi said looking at Clau.

Sanada nodded.

"Um...hey, I know you guys are happy this is all over but...there's a girl dangling over here!" Rie waved her hands at the regulars trying to get their attention. "Get me off of here so I can kick that man's ass! Get me off of here!"

"Rie-chan!" Marui panicked as his tiredness immediately went away. "Don't worry we'll get you back on sweet and safe ground!"

No need.

The branch that she was tied to broke causing her to fall like the last time but this time there was no body of water to save her but the solid ground. The freshman braced herself and put her arms around her head hoping to save it. She waited for impact.

"RIE!"

But she felt nothing but landing on something soft yet hard at the same time. Rie blinked as she looked down on what she landed on.

But the real question was: Who?

"Jeez...you're such a troublesome baka-onna." A muffled voice said. That was when she noticed the unmistakable curly black hair of the junior. 'Seaweed-san'

Let's see, when the branch that kept the silver haired girl from falling broke the first one to quickly react was none other than Kirihara Akaya. Moving faster than any other member that was running to her rescue, he hoped to catch the girl with his arms and as I said _hoped_ because as soon as the girl was within reach, Kirihara learned a very painful story from gravity. She crashed on top of him making him fall face first on the ground.

"I guess I looked really uncool, huh?" Kirihara managed to give the freshman who was sitting on his back a small grin. After he said that, he was then tackled back to the ground by Marui and Niou.

"Acting like a hero in front of the girl, huh?" Niou teased.

"Oy!" Jackal, the ever caring one, kept telling the two to get off of the baby to which he was only ignored for. "HEY!"

Yagyuu sighed as he made his way over to the silent girl. "Are you okay, Arianna-san? Any injuries?"

He got no reply.

"Are you okay? Do you have a fever? You seem...red." Yagyuu pointed out as he saw the slightly red face of the freshman as she stared at the ace of their team. "Must be from what had happened." He concluded before joining Jackal in telling Marui and Niou to stop messing with their kouhai.

Clau, who didn't miss the blush on the girl and knew the reason why she got it twitched his eye in annoyance. "Ragazzo Riccio*..."

"Tarundoru!"

"You've been big help to today's practice, Rie." Sanada nodded to her. "Thank you."

That snapped her out of her reverie. Rie looked up and nodded.

"Looks like I'm going to have an interesting time teaching you all about data, Rie." Yanagi patted her head.

"Oy! Stop that, senpai!" Kirihara tried to pry of his senpais as they messed with him. "Cut it out!"

"_I guess I looked really uncool, huh?"_

* * *

"You seem really busy, huh?" Clau taunted the girl he was looking after. She was surrounded by several files. She glared at the man as she started putting them into folders until there was only one paper left.

Clau held an ice pack to his throbbing head. Man, the girl can fight. True to her words, she did kick Clau's ass for what happened. 'Being quiet, huh?'

Clau picked up the paper and took a good look. "A practice match? With another school?"

Rie turned to him and took the paper from his hands. "Hai, buchou told me we were going to have a practice match with a school called "Satokai Gakuen"."

"I see...sounds fun." Clau smirked. "Mind if I give you a ride to that school?" The person he had asked that question immediately flinched and stood frozen at her spot. "Thought so. Looks like I am." He didn't wait for the answer.

* * *

OMAKE

Yanagi and Rie sat in one of the tables the school library had. Rie's ability of observing was improving a lot. So Yanagi thought that it was finally time to teach her one of the most important things he wanted to pass down.

"So why do I have to learn probability again?" Rie raised a brow.

"In collecting data it is very important to also the chances of it happening. That is why calculation is very important." Yanagi repeated for the fifth time already.

It just happens that his apprentice was weak with the subject Math...how odd.

"Listen Rie, this is the solution to get..." Everything Yanagi mentioned came in one ear and out with the other. "Did you understand what I was saying?"

Rie decided that it was the right thing to be honest. "No. Nope. Nothing~"

"What is so hard with what I'm teaching?"

"Senpai, you added other lessons not even related to our first topic."

"Like what?"

"Triangles...tangents and pythago-something theory."

"It's for future purposes."

"I'm only a freshman."

"So?"

"I DON'T get it."

Yanagi found it odd for her to be having a hard time understanding such a simple lesson. If she was an observer won't that mean she'd have a better understanding than others? If so then understand what the teacher is teaching would just be nothing to her.

Okay, they'll be starting with basics...

"Rie"

"Hai senpai?

"What's the first word that comes to your head when you hear "tangent"?"

"Tangerine?"

Never had Yanagi wanted so much to bang his head on a table until his head bled until now.

"I'm only a freshman barely passing Algebra, senpai." Rie added. 'Besides, it'd be better to give me a book to read so I could understand better...'

* * *

**Here are the translations:**

**Bambina: Little girl**

**Ragazzo Riccio: Curly Boy**

**Idiota: Idiot**

**I don't know when the next chapter will be posted but you all have already been given a tip on what's it about. My mom enrolled me in some study sessions so I'm still stuck with homeworks -_-**

**If some of you haven't seen it yet, I've already drawn how Rie looks like, so feel free to take a peek. BUT it's not really...good. So please bear with me because it's also not very clear. I pictured it using my phone. I did my best .**

**About the topic of changing the title. My sister thought really hard for this. "My Seaweed Head" **

**Sounds fitting, right?**

**Reviews and Constructive Criticisms are welcome!**


End file.
